European Astronaut Centre
Astronauts rehearse spacewalks in a huge underwater pool here and train for missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
The European Astronaut Centre (EAC) is home to the ESA Astronaut Corps. Besides training, its tasks include selecting astronauts and supporting them throughout their missions.
At a Glance
- Type
- Europe's central training facility for astronauts, run by the European Space Agency (ESA)
- Location
- On the grounds of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), in the Spich district of Cologne's Porz borough
- Founded
- 1990
- Head
- Belgian astronaut Frank De Winne, since 1 August 2012
- Diving pool
- 17 × 22 m, 10 m deep
In the 2021/22 selection round, 17 candidates were chosen from more than 22,500 applicants – including one participant in ESA's "Fly!" feasibility study, which investigates whether a person with a disability could take part in a regular long-term space mission.
Training Underwater
In the pool, astronauts practice working outside the space station under conditions that resemble weightlessness. Models of large space station modules are lowered into the water for this purpose.
Preparing for the ISS
Training centers on the European space laboratory Columbus, a replica of which stands in a training hall at the EAC. Crews used to practice docking the ATV cargo spacecraft here as well. The agreement governing ISS operations allows all participating astronauts to use every training facility. As a result, astronauts from Russia, the United States, Canada and Japan prepare at the EAC alongside Europeans.
What the Centre Does
The EAC hosts ESA's Astronaut Operations Team. From a control room, specialists handle all European voice communications with astronauts aboard the ISS, working closely with the Columbus Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich. Medical expertise in areas such as preventive medicine, nutrition and fitness is also based here.
History
Initially, three ESA astronauts were stationed at the EAC. In 1998, ESA member states decided to merge the national teams into a single European corps, which numbered 16 astronauts in 2002. According to ESA, each of the six astronauts selected in May 2009 has by now flown to the ISS at least once, including Matthias Maurer.
Class of 2022 and International Partners
More than 22,500 applications produced 17 candidates: five career astronauts and twelve members of the astronaut reserve. One of the reserve positions belongs to the ESA feasibility study "Fly!", which examines whether people with disabilities can take part in a regular long-duration mission. Basic training began on 3 April 2023, together with a candidate from the Australian space agency. This makes the EAC one of only three centres worldwide that train and certify foreign astronauts to international ISS standards. In February 2023, an Axiom Space crew prepared here for the second time for a commercial ISS mission.
Looking Ahead to the Moon
With the Artemis lunar programme in mind, the ESA-DLR LUNA lunar analogue facility is to be installed next to the EAC. This joint project of ESA and DLR is intended to serve as a training ground for astronauts and a test centre for technology.
Timeline
- 1978First three ESA astronauts selected for the Spacelab mission
- 1990European Astronaut Centre established in Cologne
- 1998ESA member states decide to form a single European Astronaut Corps
- 2002European Astronaut Corps completed with 16 astronauts
- 2008Columbus laboratory brought to the ISS on STS-122
- 2009Six new astronauts start basic training on 1 September
- 2012Frank De Winne becomes EAC head on 1 August
- 2023ESA astronaut class of 2022 starts basic training on 3 April
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official website (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-10-15, rev 270040261)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-10-15
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