Austro-Astronaut Carmen Possnig Successfully Completed First Training

In the fall of 2022, the ESA selected five "career astronauts" and twelve "reserve astronauts" from over 22,500 applications from Europe. Among the reserve astronauts is the physician Carmen Possnig from Klagenfurt. She conducted research for the ESA in Antarctica in 2018. The career astronauts have already completed a year of training for space missions. The reserve astronauts remain in their professions but are regularly trained to be quickly ready for deployment if needed.

First Training Block of Austrian Astronaut Carmen Possnig Included Theory and Practice

Possnig is currently in the final stages of her PhD studies in space medicine at the University of Innsbruck. She, along with Anthea Comellini (Italy), Meganne Christian, and John McFall (both from the UK), completed the first block of the "Astronaut Reserve Training Program," which included theoretical and practical units. Possnig described the dive training in the "Neutral Buoyancy Facility," a ten-meter-deep pool where parts of the International Space Station ISS can also be submerged, as the "highlight" of the training block. Diving simulates weightlessness in space, allowing for the training of spacewalks and external operations. "I was most nervous before this training," said the aspiring astronaut, as her basic diving course, a prerequisite for the training, was years ago.

Astronaut Training of Carmen Possnig: Surviving at Minus 15 Degrees Celsius

In the end, the dive training was "very cool, but even cooler was the week-long winter survival exercise in a national park in the Spanish Pyrenees." Not only were teamwork and leadership skills trained, but also skills such as making fire, building shelters, and dealing with cold-related injuries were taught. At the end, the group had to survive 30 hours at minus 15 degrees Celsius in the snowy national park. "These exercises are meant to prepare us for potential emergency situations, such as when a space capsule lands in a remote, hard-to-reach location," said Possnig. The theoretical units included, among other things, a biology course with practical laboratory exercises as preparation for experiments in space, as well as human behavior, such as how astronauts interact, communicate, and work in teams. These are crucial skills for life on the space station. Additionally, the group received versatile fitness training.

Parabolic Flight in the Next Unit of Austrian Astronaut Carmen Possnig

Now that both groups of the ESA astronaut reserve have completed their first training program, they will jointly undergo the next phase of training this fall. This includes, among other things, survival training at sea, in case a space capsule that landed in the sea is not immediately found, and a parabolic flight, where weightlessness is simulated. The theoretical part will focus on technical aspects of spacecraft and stations, as well as human physiology in space. According to Possnig, another two-month training block is planned for 2026. How things will proceed after that also depends on future ESA budgeting. The chances of actually flying into space are "a political decision and also depend on how much is invested in space research," said Possnig.

(APA/Red)

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