JOHANNESBURG – The European Space Agency announced on February 16 that its first call for new astronauts in more than a decade will be open to candidates with physical disabilities.
During a briefing with reporters, ESA officials said the agency plans to recruit four to six astronauts and a pool of about 20 reserve astronauts, a first for ESA. In addition, for the first time for the agency, the outgoing director general of the ESA, Jan Wörner, has announced that he wants to recruit his first parastronaut.
ESA said that it aims to select a parastronaut from a pool of candidates who are psychologically, cognitively, technically and professionally qualified, but with a physical disability that would normally prevent them from being selected due to the requirement set by the current space hardware is set.
“Visible representation is always important and that’s why we asked ourselves what the obstacles are to prevent us from flying a physically disabled astronaut to the ISS,” Wörner said.
ESA expects to recruits one parastronaut as part of its astronaut reserves, according to David Parker, ESA’s Director of Human and Robot Exploration
“There are many unknowns ahead of us. The only promise we can make today is one of a serious, dedicated and honest effort to clear the space to an astronaut with disabilities,” ESA said in a statement.
In parallel with the selection of space travel candidates with disabilities, ESA said it would work with crew car suppliers and its international partners “to identify potential adjustments to eventually enable a space pilot with a disability to fly into space.”
ESA said it expects the ‘parastronaut feasibility project’ ‘will provide an opportunity for a flight for one or more individuals’, while also bringing ‘innovations and other benefits to the safety and efficiency of future crew members’.
Recruitment of ESA’s 2021-2022 astronaut class
Since its inception, ESA has only recruited new astronauts three times. The first recruitment campaign took place between 1978 and 1979 and the last between 2008 and 2009.
Applications for the first phase of the ESA Astronaut Selection Process for 2021-2022 are accepted from March 1 to May 28. Applicants must be at least a citizen of an ESA Member State or an Associate Member State, and have a Master’s degree in Natural Sciences, Medicine, Engineering or Mathematics, have at least three years’ professional experience and speak English fluently.
In addition to the minimum requirements, the agency describes an ideal candidate as an individual who can work well within a multicultural team, spend a long time away from family and friends, undergo vigorous physical training and stay calm under pressure.
The new class of ESA astronauts is included in the agency’s astronaut corps at one of the most eventful times in its history. In addition to continuing astronauts to work and live aboard the International Space Station, ESA’s contributions to NASA’s Artemis program and the Moon Gateway space station enabled the agency to secure seats for the first European astronauts who would travel beyond a low orbit around the earth, seats that could be filled with astronauts recruited over the next two years.
The ESA astronaut selection process for 2021-2022 will consist of six phases after the first choices. The process is expected to begin on May 28 and end with the announcement of the latest ESA astronaut class in the second half of 2022.