More than 22,000 Europeans have applied for astronauts

22,589 people have applied online to the European Space Agency (ESA) to train astronauts, writes BBC. The organization last launched a similar program in 2008, it has now registered 2.5 times the number of registered applicants, and the number of applicants has increased from 1,287 to 5,419. Joseph AschbacherAccording to the Director General of the European Space Agency, it is impressive that so many have applied, he said, the numbers indicate that there is a great interest in space in Europe.

ESA will contract four to six full-time employees, and there could be an additional 20 people on the reserve.

They can participate in missions if there is a special opportunity, such as a Member State’s desire to launch a national space mission outside of normal arrangements.

David ParkerAccording to the Director of Human and Robotic Missions at the European Space Agency, 257 people have applied for the Peasant Program, of whom 60 are women. This year, the European Space Agency became the first organization in the world to begin recruiting astronauts with disabilities.

Most of the applicants for the training came from France (7137), which is not surprising, as the current members of the International Space Station (ISS). Thomas Bisket The French media is following its mission comprehensively. Germany came second (3700) and the United Kingdom third (1979).

In the next round, psychological tests will be conducted, followed by practical and standard psychological surveys. Then comes the medical examination, followed by two rounds of interviews. It is estimated that after examining the application forms, the rigorous selection process can begin with about 1,500 people. ESA encourages those who are unable to participate in screening to consider other ways in which they can contribute to the space agency’s work. For example, over the next five years, the organization wants to hire 500 new employees.

The European Space Agency currently has seven active astronauts: Luca Parmitano And Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy), Alexander Barley And Matthias Maurer (Germany), Andreas Mogensen (Denmark) and Timothy Beck (United kingdom). Six of them have already flown, and Maurer has taken off into space for the first time in October. Next year, Cristoforetti could become the first European woman commander of the International Space Station.