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You probably dream of becoming an astronaut.
Vocations are numerous… but there
are only a chosen few! Another characteristic
of the profession is that there is no school
or university that prepares you to becoming
an astronaut. All astronauts already had
a career before they were chosen, in a field
– scientific, technical or operational
– which can contribute to advances
in the conquest of space.
A European profession
In Europe there are not specific astronauts
for each country. They are grouped together
within the European Space Agency (ESA)*,
and more specifically within the EAC (European
Astronaut Corps), a European Astronaut Corps
established in Cologne, Germany. All astronauts
in the ESA followed a different career path,
with specialised training in one or several
fields with science as the dominant subject.
A highly selective
training programme
The renewal of the astronaut corps depends
on the departures and needs for space programmes.
After installing the Columbus European space
laboratory in the ISS, ESA started the recruitment
process in 2008 for four new astronauts.
Any man or woman from an ESA member country
can apply, they must be between the ages
of 27 and 37, and measure between 5 ft 1"
and 6 ft 3 ". Obviously they need to
be in good physical and mental health. It
is essential that they speak English and
a good command of Russian would be very
welcome! Applicants must also fill in an
application whose weight and size certainly
seems to deter a vast majority (80% to be
more precise!).
Being selected
is one thing, but being well trained is
another!
Once you’ve been selected among the
rare and lucky few, you’ll need to
train. At the EAC that will take one year
which is very little compared with the 4
years needed at NASA or the dozen of years
needed in Russia. But after that, it all
depends on the type of mission. And even
then, you still don’t know if you’ll
ever go anywhere, because some astronauts
never do!
For a mission in an American space shuttle,
the 4 years’ training that apprentice
American astronauts have is a necessity.
To travel in a Soyuz, a one-year training
course is given at the Russian Star City.
As for a sojourn in the International Space
Station (ISS), one or two years' training
is necessary within a group of international
astronauts, and an 18 month training session
adapted to the specific mission allocated.
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Meeting
with Jean-François Clervoy of the
corps of European astronauts
Jean-François Clervoy has stayed
in space three times: in 1994 aboard the
shuttle Atlantis; in 1997 to guide the docking
of the space shuttle* with Mir" >MIR,
and in 1999 to direct the shuttle’s
moving arm during servicing of the Hubble
telescope*. He’s a member of the corps
of European astronauts. Since September
2001 he has been seconded to the ATV* (Automated
Transfer Vehicle) project team and the European
Space Agency.
IOONOS: As an astronaut,
do you have the soul of an adventurer ?
Jean-François Clervoy: I certainly
have a taste for adventure, and I’d
say that during a space flight there are
three things that turn an astronaut into
an adventurer. The first is the phenomenal
power of the lift-off motors required to
take you out of the atmosphere and achieve
orbiting speed (about 8 km per second).
At that moment you cannot help feeling you
are a stunt man. The second is the spectacular
view of Earth. This blinding view of a large
chunk of our globe cannot leave anyone indifferent.
The third is the game itself. Anything that
isn’t attached floats away, which
suggests a wide variety of games impossible
on Earth. There is no more high or low.
You move like an eel from one module to
another, using any of the cabin’s
walls to work, read, sleep or rest.
IOONOS: What is
an astronaut’s job ?
Jean-François Clervoy: Our missions
in flights are to repair satellites, explore
and test out new technologies, or to carry
out scientific experiments. But above all
we are workmen, plumbers, repairmen…
Our tasks are to guide the robots, step
out into space, control equipment stowed
in the space vehicle’s hold, and manage
the onboard resources. Not forgetting to
always make sure of our own safety, especially
when leaving and re-entering the atmosphere!
IOONOS: With whom
do you have to work ?
Jean-François Clervoy: Mainly with
fellow astronauts, as well as with controllers
on the ground and instructors. I have also
often worked with engineers who are developing
future programmes for manned space flights.
IOONOS: What skills
are needed ?
Jean-François Clervoy: You have to
be extremely versatile, and a state-of-the-art
specialist in a technical or scientific
field that is related to space. In my own
case, my versatility comes from a scientific
training in France at the Ecole Polytechnique,
technical training at the “Sup Aero”
[both among France’s elite educational
institutions], and operational training
at EPNER (the test pilots’ training
school).
IOONOS: And the
qualities needed ?
Jean-François Clervoy: The ability
to work as member of a team, emotional stability,
good health that is confirmed annually through
a complete check-up, a taste for technical
challenges and strong motivation. This is
a job you don’t do out of interest
– but out of enthusiasm!
IOONOS: What advice
would you give young people attracted to
your profession ?
Jean-François Clervoy: I would recommend
this profession to those who are tempted
by passion, because that passion will help
them overcome the trials and tribulations
and make them work hard to succeed. However,
you have to be aware that it’s not
the sort of job you can just choose like
most “earth-bound” jobs. Every
astronaut had a job before being selected.
The final selection does not just depend
on theoretical, physical and psychological
exam results, like other jobs, but a lot
is left to chance since there are so few
places.
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