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The European Space Agency is calling all future ASTRONAUTS

Location

European Astronaut Centre (EAC), Cologne (Germany) with possible multi-year postings in Houston (USA) or Star City (Russia).

The European Space Agency (ESA) is seeking astronauts to conduct spaceflight missions to low-Earth orbit and the Moon, support the ESA Human Spaceflight Programme and be ambassadors for the organisation and its activities.

We are looking for candidates with a variety of profiles and backgrounds meeting the following minimum requirements:

• Citizenship of an ESA Member State or Associate Member State.
• Master’s degree in natural sciences, medicine, engineering, mathematics or computer sciences or a degree as experimental test pilot and/or test engineer from an official experimental test pilot school.
• At least three years of relevant professional experience after graduation.
• Fluency in English.
• Flexibility to cope with irregular working hours and frequent travel.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Willingness to participate in life science experiments.

Effective communication and teamworking skills are also important attributes.

The health and wellbeing of astronauts are a high priority. Therefore, when you apply, you will also be required to upload a European Part-MED Class 2 (private pilot) medical certificate issued by an aviation medical examiner or aeromedical centre.

For the full list of requirements please click on 'apply'. Please read carefully the complete job description and the Astronaut Applicant Handbook before applying.” 

How to apply

Applications are now open until 28 May 2021. Only applications made online through the ESA recruiting website and submitted before the deadline can be considered.

Additional information about an astronaut’s work and the selection process can be found in the Astronaut Applicant Handbook. You can also visit our Astronaut Selection website where the FAQs is being regularly updated. If you have a specific question which is not answered by the information provided, you can contact astronaut.recruitment@esa.int

The final outcome of the selection process will be announced in October 2022.

Qualified professionals, and in particular women, are encouraged to put themselves forward.

#YourWayToSpace