Latest Alexander Gerst Stories

ESA’s astronauts-in-training have a busy schedule. From their base at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, they are travelling all over the world to learn the skills required to fly in space, blogging as they go. The new astronauts are learning how to live and work on the International Space Station in the countries of all the Station’s partners: Europe, Canada, America, Japan and Russia. You can now follow their trials and triumphs by following the blog written by the...

  ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst has been assigned to fly to the International Space Station on a 6-month mission in 2014, serving as a flight engineer for Expeditions 40 and 41. Alexander is the second of the new group of European astronauts, which graduated last November, to be assigned to a mission. He will be launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in May 2014, returning to Earth in November 2014. Today is an ideal day for the...

The European Space Agency (ESA) has graduated six new astronauts from its basic training program. The six individuals received their graduation certificates at a special ceremony recently in Cologne, Germany. They are the first group of candidates ESA has put through its new training program.Previous astronauts have relied on the U.S. or Russia in order to get their education. Alexander Gerst, Samantha Cristoforetti, Thomas Pesquet, Andreas Mogensen, Luca Parmitano and Timothy Peake will now...

ESA's new astronaut candidates enjoyed a taste of space last Friday during a special aircraft flight in Bordeaux, France. A modified Airbus A300 offered a glimpse of their future working conditions, as well as providing microgravity for science experiments. Planes flying a special parabolic path can simulate weightlessness for research and astronaut training. Up to 22 seconds of microgravity can be created at a time and, by repeating the maneuver, total weightlessness during one flight can...

The European Space Agency says its six new astronaut recruits started their 18-month basic training in preparation for future space missions. The new astronauts at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne, Germany, are Samantha Cristoforetti of Milan, Italy; Alexander Gerst, from Kunzelsau, Germany; Andreas Mogensen, from Copenhagen, Denmark; Luca Parmitano, from Paterno, Italy; Timothy Peake of Chichester, England; and Thomas Pesquet of Rouen, France. The taking-up duty of the new class of...

ESA's new astronaut recruits reported this week to the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. The six have started the first days of their 18-month basic training in preparation for future missions to the International Space Station and beyond.The new astronauts are:* Samantha Cristoforetti, from Milan, Italy.* Alexander Gerst, from Künzelsau, Germany.* Andreas Mogensen, from Copenhagen, Denmark.* Luca Parmitano, from Paternò, Italy.* Timothy Peake, from Chichester, UK.* Thomas...

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyle's Germany-based GmbH unit played a vital role in the recent selection of six new European Space Authority (ESA) astronauts, the first named since 1992. Casey Pruett, managing director of the unit, assisted in supervising all logistic components for organizing the implementation of two phases of psychological and one phase of medical testing. He served as the deputy project manager to Dr. Volker Damann, head of ESA's Crew Medical Support...

The European Space Agency says it has selected six people to become Europe's newest astronauts. The new recruits will join the European Astronaut Corps and start their training to prepare for future missions to the International Space Station, and beyond. The new astronauts and their nationality are Samantha Cristoforetti, Italian; Alexander Gerst, German; Andreas Mogensen, Danish; Luca Parmitano, Italian; Timothy Peake, British; and Thomas Pesquet, French. They were selected following...

The European Space Agency on Wednesday announced the acceptance of its first British astronaut.Timothy Peake, 37, was named alongside a roster of five new astronauts during a ceremony in Paris. The astronauts will begin training for missions to the International Space Station "and beyond", said the ESA."We are at a turning point in ESA's human spaceflight activities," ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain said."We are now entering a new phase of utilization of the unique...