by Five new European astronauts and the first astronaut from the Australian Space Agency are now ready to “hop” into their first flight assignments, after completing basic training.
The European Space Agency (ESA) held a graduation ceremony on Monday (April 22) for the “Hoppers,” the nickname for the new astronauts chosen in 2022. Taking the stage at the European Astronaut Center (EAC) in Cologne, Sophie Adenot of France, Pablo lvarez Fernández of Spain, Rosemary Coogan of the United Kingdom, Raphaël Liégeois of Belgium, Marco Sieber of Switzerland and Katherine Bennell-Pegg of Australia received their diplomas.
“Today is a significant milestone as we celebrate the graduation of a new class of five ESA astronauts, who are now qualified to be assigned to future space flights. I am also proud of the graduation of an Australian astronaut candidate, which reaffirms our commitment to promote international cooperation in space exploration,” said Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General.
“Fresh talent and diverse perspectives and expertise enhance our ability to tackle the complexities of space exploration and strengthen ESA’s role as a leading force in shaping our future in space,” said Aschbacher.
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Reporting for training in April 2023 – five months after they were announced – the Hoppers began their studies at the EAC and then moved on to other facilities around the world. Throughout the year, they were introduced to and received instruction in spacecraft systems, spaceflight, flight engineering, robotics and life support systems, as well as survival and medical training.
The new astronauts are now eligible for the next stages of pre-assignment and mission-specific training, leading to their launch to the International Space Station (ISS), if not later the moon.
The five newly qualified European Hoppers were selected along with 12 “reserve” astronauts, a new category for the ESA corps from which the agency will select when alternative flight opportunities become available. Sweden’s Marcus Wandt became ESA’s first “project astronaut” to fly last January when he joined the commercial Axiom-3 mission to the ISS.
“We begin a new era in the history of European astronauts,” said Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA’s director of human and robotic exploration. “These five new members of the European astronaut corps, along with the reserve members, underscore our commitment to nurturing talent and maximizing opportunities for space exploration.”
The addition of the Hoppers brings ESA’s active astronaut corps to 11 members.
Bennell-Pegg, who was trained under a cost reimbursement agreement, remains an employee of the Australian Space Agency and is not a member of the ESA corps. She was the first candidate from an international partner to receive basic training at the European Space Centre.
“I am extremely determined to make the most of this past year, and whatever follows, to generate more opportunities for Australian industry, and the wishes of everyone back home,” said Bennell- Pegg in a statement released by ESA. “Partnering with GSE was a great opportunity not only to further our shared goals but also to foster collaboration on a global scale, which is essential for the future of space exploration.”
The Hoppers – named by a previous ESA astronaut class, the 2009 “Shenanigans” – were named for their ambition to “hop in low globality.” That desire is also reflected in their class patch, which borrows from a children’s toy of the same title.
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The emblem is in the shape of a ball of sediment, on top of an inflatable that the children sit on and jump on. The patch, created by ESA graphic designer Karen Lochtenberg, shows the six new European and Australian astronauts bouncing on their own hoppers, with the colors of their national flag on each ball.
“During the training, the newbies are said to have often improvised their own rules. Similarly, they now bounce through the patch with energy, crossing its boundaries freely. Among them, a space hopper follows of Australia its own path, flowing upside down,” reads ESA’s description of the badge.
The emblem has 12 white stars as a background for the Hoppers, representing members of the ESA astronaut reserve, and seven windows, symbolizing the Cupola on the ISS. The latter is a carryover from the Shenanigans patch, which also had the windows as part of its design.
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