Astronaut trainig program 2023 “PANGAEA”

From September 17th to September 21th 2023, the Nördlinger Ries with the RiesKraterMueum and the ZERIN (Centre for Ries Crater and Impact Research Nördlingen) was once again one of the three training locations as part of the “PANGAEA” astronaut training program of the European Space Agency ESA (PANGAEA: Planetary Analogue Geological and Astrobiogical Exercise for Astronauts).

The aim of the program is to provide astronauts with basic geoscientific knowledge and, above all, practical skills in the field, which they can use effectively on planned space missions to the moon and Mars.

Included were:

1st from right: Thomas Pesquet, ESA astronaut, (ISS 50/51, ISS 65/66) European records: longest time in space (396 T, 11 h), space mission (39 h, 54 m)

2nd from right: Takuya Onishi, JAXA astronaut, (ISS 48/49)

3rd from right: Jessica Wittner, NASA astronaut candidate