The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topic
The new ESA astronauts have now completed the first phase of astronaut education called: Basic Training. This began with information on ESA and other space agencies and their main space programmes. Basic knowledge of space engineering, electrical engineering and the different science disciplines was then provided. The third block dealt with the major systems of the ISS and transportation systems such as Shuttle and Soyuz. Basic training concluded by focusing on specific topics such as underwater diving (as the basis for EVA training), robotics, survival training, rendezvous and docking, the Russian language, and human behaviour and performance training. The several phases of the Basic Training have been documented. A camera team has followed the new ESA recruits for the last year on their way to becoming certified astronauts.
The complete video documentation of the different phases of the Basic Training is now available here.