Arnaud Prost

Arnaud Prost was born in France in 1992.

Education

Arnaud earned his engineering degree from the École Polytechnique (grande école university) in Palaiseau, France, in 2015. During this time, he accomplished a research internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory with the entry, descent and landing team in Pasadena, USA, where he studied possible landing sites for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover. 

In 2017, Arnaud completed his aerospace engineering degree at the French grande école ISAE-SUPAERO and his master’s degree in astrophysics, space sciences and planetology from the Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse, France. During this time, Arnaud also completed a research internship with the Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics and Moscow Aviation Institute in Moscow, Russia. 

Experience

In 2013, Arnaud completed his military training and became second lieutenant with the French Armed Forces and 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment. 

Arnaud worked as a professional diver and project engineer for the Comex S.A. space and innovation division in Marseille, France, from 2015 to 2016, where he worked on EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) simulations underwater and astronaut-robot cooperation in analogue environments. 

From 2017 to 2020, Arnaud joined the French Air Force as a fighter pilot trainee where he earned his fighter pilot wings. 

He continued his professional career as a test engineer at the Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) flight test center, in Istres, France, from 2020 to 2022, where he worked on human-machine interfaces of the Rafale fighter jet. From 2020, he was a pilot with the DGA’s engineering corps for passenger transport and support to test flights. He holds a Commercial Pilot License (CPL). 

In 2022, Arnaud continued as a flight test engineer with the DGA, where he was leading the RAFALE integrated flight test team and flight tests for air to air capacities. 

During his academic and professional career, Arnaud engaged in voluntary work as a teacher and tutor for children and teenagers. 

In his leisure time, he enjoys technical deep diving, freediving, rugby and swimming. His other interests include hiking and DIY. 

ESA experience

In November 2022, Arnaud was selected as a member of the ESA astronaut reserve.