ESA opens applications for new astronauts and disabled ‘paranauts’ – IT Pro – News

The European space agency ESA has started a search for new astronauts. It is the first time in eleven years that new space explorers are being sought in Europe. The ESA says it mainly wants a diverse team and is specifically looking for people with a disability.

The European Space Agency made Tuesday afternoon more information about the selection procedure. Candidates can send in their application letter from 31 March. The application rounds do not officially start until 28 May. The procedure will take about a year and a half in total, until October 2022. Astronauts must undergo a rigorous selection of physical, medical and psychological tests during that time. The ESA says that astronauts do not need to have a pilot’s license, but they do need to get a medical certificate from an aviation doctor. The job requirements are that a candidate must have at least a master’s degree in natural sciences, medicine, engineering, mathematics or computer sciences. They must also have at least three years of relevant work experience and be fluent in English.

The new astronauts will go on their first space missions around the end of this decade and the early 1930s. The ESA does not yet say very specifically what kind of missions these are; they will probably go to the International Space Station first, although their lifespan is still uncertain. It is also possible for the astronauts to fly to the moon, for example through collaboration with the Artemis program of the American NASA. ESA director Jan Worner also mentions Mars as an option, but without saying much about it. Of all candidates, four are ultimately selected to enter the astronaut corps directly. Another twenty astronauts are classified as reserve.

The ESA says it wants to focus a lot on diversity in the selection. The space agency acknowledges that it hasn’t paid enough attention to that in recent years. The ESA mainly wants to look at a good gender distribution in the new force. Among the current roster of seven ESA astronauts is only one woman, Samantha Cristoforetti. The space agency does not mention a hard criterion such as a 50-50 distribution, but says it will keep a close eye on the distribution.

It is also striking that the ESA is looking at people with a disability. That is it paranaut feasibility project. The ESA wants to use this to train people with a physical disability to eventually be able to enter space. “The ESA is looking for individuals who are psychologically, cognitively, technically and professionally qualified to become astronauts, but who have a physical disability that would not normally pass the selection,” the space agency writes.

The ‘paranaut’ does not immediately join the new corps of astronauts, but is trained with the aim of eventually going on a space mission. The ESA is working with commercial companies for this, but details of possible missions are still unknown. The ESA also does not dare to guarantee a flight. The agency has also requested assistance from the International Paralympic Committee. “We believe that space exploration requires collective collaboration and therefore we need to include more talented people of different genders, ages and backgrounds, as well as people with special needs, such as those living with physical disabilities.” For the time being it concerns a limited group; only persons who are missing limbs below the knee or who are less than 130 centimeters can register for the first round.

It is the first time since 2008 that ESA has hired new astronauts. That has happened only three times since 1987. In the second application, André Kuipers was hired as a spaceman. There is little chance that this time another Dutchman will bring it to the force; The Netherlands invested a lot of money in the ESA for Kuipers’ flight.

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