Those of you who followed our podcast since the beginning might have listened to the very first episodes where we explored the early days of European spaceflight and the history of this unique European-built research facility that flew inside NASA’s Space Shuttle.
On 28 November 1983, Spacelab was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on board Space Shuttle Columbia.
Spacelab-1 conducted over 70 experiments across various fields, laying the foundation for Europe’s later Columbus laboratory on the International Space Station.
For the first time the Shuttle carried a crew of six, including German ESA astronaut Ulf Merbold, the first non-American astronaut to fly on the Space Shuttle.
Ulf became ESA’s first astronaut in space and the 10-day Spacelab-1 mission marked ESA’s entry into human spaceflight activities.
Today, we have the privilege of speaking with Ulf Merbold, reflecting on 40 years of pioneering space exploration.
We delve into his training and experiences during his first of three spaceflight missions, which significantly shaped modern European science and space exploration.
Join us as we explore his passion for flying, his unique experiences orbiting with a moonwalker, and gain insights into his vision for space exploration—from Earth’s orbit to the Moon and beyond.
Audio editing by Denzel Lorge.
Tune in to ESA Explores episodes via all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, Amazon Music and more.
Additional content:
Find out more about Ulf here or listen to our episode: Time and space: ESA’s first astronaut | ESA Explores (podbean.com).
Read more about the 40-year anniversary of Spacelab-1 and discover Spacelab-1’s enduring legacy and its impact on future space exploration here: ESA – Spacelab to Gateway: 40 years of modules for people in space.