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Astronauts

Exploring our Solar System is one of humankind's most exciting adventures. ESA selected its first astronauts in 1978 for the 1983 Spacelab mission on NASA's Space Shuttle. Here you'll find more about our current astronauts – the class of 2009.

Matthias Maurer

Launch week line-up

ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer will be launched to the International Space Station on Crew Dragon spacecraft Endurance at 07:21 CET this Sunday 31 October. Get in the space spirit with this line-up of events in Europe, the US and beyond.

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Matthias Maurer

Updated Crew-3 launch date

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 07:21 CET Sunday 31 October for the Crew-3 launch to the International Space Station to allow additional time for spacecraft processing. The backup launch time and date is 06:10 CET Wednesday 3 November.

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Luca Parmitano

A tale of ice and water

In August 2021, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano and the head of the ESA Climate Office Susanne Mecklenburg joined a science expedition taking place at one of the biggest ice masses in the Alps: the Gorner Glacier. This is part one of Luca's first-hand account of accompanying a scientific team who are documenting how the glacier is changing in response to climate change.

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Matthias Maurer

Watch live: briefings for next Space Station mission

Learn the latest about the launch of Crew-3 to the International Space Station during two virtual briefings this Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 October live on ESA Web TV Two.

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Matthias Maurer

Countdown to launch with the Cosmic Kiss playlist

Every mission needs music. Now you can get in the mood for Cosmic Kiss with the official ESA playlist!

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Matthias Maurer

Crew-3 target 30 October launch

The targeted launch date for Crew-3 has been brought forward by one day, with NASA and SpaceX now targeting 08:43 CEST (06:43 GMT, 2:43 a.m EDT) Saturday 30 October for the launch of the next SpaceX Crew Dragon to the International Space Station.

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Thomas Pesquet

Aki and Thomas spacewalk – details

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and JAXA astronaut Aki Hoshide head out for a spacewalk on Sunday 12 September, this is what they will be doing.

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Thomas Pesquet

Fourth spacewalk for Thomas on Alpha mission

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide are set to leave the International Space Station on a spacewalk on Sunday 12 September.

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