ESA Astronaut Recruitment: A New Campaign in 2021
The European Space Agency opened a new astronaut selection campaign in 2021. It invited qualified candidates to consider a career supporting European space exploration. In addition, the agency encouraged women to apply and sought a wider range of backgrounds.
Our April 2021 report discussed the campaign as applications were underway. The original closing date was 28 May. However, ESA later extended the deadline to 18 June 2021. Readers can check the historical details in ESA’s selection FAQs.
Skills for ESA Astronaut Recruitment
The campaign looked for relevant professional experience as well as the required qualifications. For example, backgrounds in science, engineering and medicine featured in the discussion. ESA’s published guidance also explained how doctoral research could count towards its experience requirement.
Frank De Winne, head of the European Astronaut Centre, emphasised the operational nature of the job. Astronauts carry out scientific work, follow procedures and cooperate with colleagues. Therefore, interest in space must go alongside the ability to work effectively in a team.
Belgium’s Role in European Space
ESA astronaut recruitment also drew attention to Belgium’s participation in the space sector. Belgium was a founding member of the agency and remains part of Europe’s space community. Meanwhile, its universities and businesses contribute to research and technology.
Our original coverage highlighted the University of Liège and its long-standing space research activity. This provides another way to understand the campaign’s wider context. In particular, astronaut missions connect with work that many teams carry out on Earth.
Explore the Campaign and Space Experiences
For a fuller account of ESA astronaut recruitment, read the agency’s 2021 announcement. This article records that historical campaign rather than a currently open application window.
To discover more stories, browse RocketBreaks news. Alternatively, explore our Earth-based space experiences to learn about another route into space-related activities.