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ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer officially assigned the first flight
Press release from: European Space Agency
Published: Monday, December 14, 2020
One year, two flights
ESA Director General Jan Wörner looks forward to Matthias’ first mission and says the Space Station is a shining symbol of what can be achieved when nations around the world work together.
“The work we do on the International Space Station helps improve life on Earth as we move towards the Moon,” he says.
“Two European missions in 2021 will allow us to carry out even more important research and science in collaboration with our international partners. I am delighted to see that this great collaboration continues more than 20 years after the launch of the first team. ”
Matthias officially joined the ESA Astronaut Corps in 2015 and is the only ESA astronaut who has yet flown into space. ESA Director of Human and Robotics Exploration David Parker says his flight, and the second flight of ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet before him, is testimony to a strong commitment to European space exploration displayed by Member States in the context of ESA’s Space19 + ministerial conference in 2019.
“With a 30% increase in annual investment, we can continue European flights to the Space Station at the rate of at least one per year, ensuring that Europe is well represented in space.
“The recent Memorandum of understanding with NASA also offers three opportunities for European astronauts to fly to a new lunar outpost known as the Gateway, where they will live and work in orbit around the Moon for the first time. We are entering an exciting new era for space exploration in which Europe will play a key role. ”
A declaration of love for space
In addition to his official assignment, Matthias Maurer also revealed the name of his first space mission: Cosmic Kiss. Describe this carefully selected mission name as a “declaration of love for space.”
“It communicates the special connection the Station provides between the inhabitants of Earth and the cosmos,” explains Matthias. “It also conveys the value of the partnership to further explore the Moon and Mars, along with the need to respect, protect and preserve the nature of our home planet as we seek a sustainable future on Earth.”
“I look forward to harnessing the curiosity and knowledge of those who came before me and sharing my own experiences as an ambassador for Europe in orbit,” he adds.
Creating the perfect patch
When developing the Cosmic Kiss mission patch, Matthias was inspired by Nebra’s sky disk (‘Himmelsscheibe von Nebra’), the oldest known realistic illustration of the night sky, as well as the Pioneer and Voyager Golden Records plates that were shipped in space clothes into the unknown carrying messages from Earth.
“These artifacts show a fascination with space that stretches through the ages. Since the beginning of time, humans have looked to the sky in search of knowledge about the origins of life, the Universe, ”he says.
The mission patch features various cosmic elements, including Earth, the Moon, and the Pleiades star cluster. It also shows Mars, one of ESA’s three key exploration destinations for the next 10 years, as a small, eye-catching red dot in the distance. However, its most prominent feature is a simplified, almost heart-like International Space Station, connected via a human heartbeat stretching from Earth to the Moon.
About Matthias
Originally from the state of Saarland in southwestern Germany, Matthias has studied in four different countries, earned a Ph.D. in materials science engineering, and achieved national recognition for his outstanding research.
In 2016 he participated in NASA’s NEEMO 21 analog mission, spending a total of 16 days underwater as part of a crew testing exploration strategies and tools for future missions to Mars. Has participated in survival training at sea off the coast of China with ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and seven Chinese Taikonauts. He has also participated in various geological field training exercises related to future lunar exploration.
Prior to his assignment, Matthias worked at ESA’s European Astronaut Center in Cologne, Germany, where he managed the development project for ESA’s future Luna Moon simulation facility.
He is passionate about the opportunity to combine a love of science and technology with international collaboration and adventure, and looks forward to sharing a taste of his home region while in orbit after a recent competition to select a Saar plate for space.
More information
More information about ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer:
https://www.esa.int/Science_
https://www.esa.int/
More information about ESA: www.esa.int
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