Astronaut basic training: radiation physics

Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg during a radiation physics lesson as part of her basic astronaut training.

During basic training, the astronaut candidates delved into radiation physics and had a unique encounter with two special colleagues—Helga and Zohar, two ‘phantoms’ equipped with radiation detectors sent on a lunar flyby during the Artemis I mission. The candidates examined the radiation sensors placed in Helga an Zohar as part of the MARE experiment, and were taught about radiation and space travel. This picture shows Katherine removing a radiation sensor from Helga’s neck area. The sensor is then placed in an evaluation device and measured.

Katherine commenced basic astronaut training alongside ESA’s newest class of astronauts, including Sophie Adenot, Rosemary Coogan, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Raphaël Liégeois and Marco Sieber in April 2023. The new ESA astronaut class was selected in November 2022. 

The one-year basic training provides an overall familiarisation and training in various areas, such as spacecraft systems, spacewalking, flight engineering, robotics and life support systems, as well as survival and medical training before they receive astronaut certification in April 2024.  

After certification, they will move on to the next phases of pre-assignment and mission-specific training, paving the way for future missions to the International Space Station and beyond.