European Space Agency is seeking new astronauts

The European Space Agency (ESA) is seeking new astronauts for the first time in over a decade. ESA last sought applicants for astronaut positions in 2008 and has held only three recruitment rounds, including its first in 1978. Applications will open on March 31, 2021.

ESA is looking for candidates from a large variety of profiles and backgrounds from ESA member states or associate states. ESA has 22 Member States. The national bodies responsible for space in these countries sit on ESA’s governing Council: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The Czech Republic formally became ESA’s 18th Member State on 12 November 2008.

Through its 2021-22 selection, ESA plans to recruit 4-6 new astronauts to support the future of European space exploration. Applicants must hold the minimum of a Master’s degree in natural sciences, medicine, engineering, mathematics, or computer sciences or holding a degree as an experimental test pilot and/or test engineer from an official experimental test pilot school.

Candidates must have at least three years of relevant professional experience after graduation and be fluent in English. Good knowledge of another foreign language and any other additional language is an advantage.

More details of the requirements will be updated when applications open on March 31. The application period is scheduled to run until May 28, 2021, and the results will be announced in October 2022.

For more information, visit the ESA – ESA Astronaut Selection website.

Sources: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA