ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer has started pre-assignment training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, USA. Join him on his journey in the first of a series of vlogs.
Matthias travelled to Houston from Europe with fellow ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet. Thomas has flown to the International Space Station before, while Matthias is training for his first Space Station mission. Mission dates are yet to be confirmed, but as the next two ESA astronauts in line for flights, the pair are working to ensure they fully trained and ready.
Due to the current situation with COVID-19, all personnel are required to adhere to special safety precautions while training. These include wearing a mask – as seen in the clip.
Matthias will continue his training in Houston over the next weeks and months. Stay tuned for more footage of his training and experiences and be sure to follow along on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.