Media invitation: ESA’s class of 2022 astronaut candidates graduate

ESA invites you to the graduation ceremony of its latest group of astronaut candidates at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, on Monday 22 April.

ESA astronaut candidates Sophie Adenot, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Rosemary Coogan, Raphaël Liégeois and Marco Sieber took up duty at the European Astronaut Centre one year ago to be trained to the highest level of standards as specified by the International Space Station partners. After successful completion of basic training, they will be graduate on Monday 22 April.

Also concluding a year of astronaut basic training is Australian astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg, who has trained alongside ESA’s candidates and will also graduate with the Class of 2022.

On Monday 22 April, media are cordially invited to the graduation ceremony of ESA’s Class of 2022 at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany. There will also be limited opportunity to speak with the astronauts and ESA training experts after the ceremony.

Media who are unable to attend the ceremony in person are invited to join and ask questions via a dedicated online platform.

Programme

09:15 - 09:45 Arrival of media and check-in at EAC

10:00 - 11:30 Graduation Ceremony

11:30 - 11:50 Set up for media interviews

11:50 - 13:20 1-1 interview opportunities with the Astronaut Candidates and experts

13:20 End of programme

Location: ESA EAC
Linder Hoehe
D-51147 Cologne
Germany
https://www.esa.int/About_Us­/EAC/How_t­o_reach_us

Media registration

Media representatives are invited to register their attendance by (in-person or online) Wednesday 10 April 2023, 18:00 CEST via https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-­media-brie­fing-form/ . Due to EAC’s capacity we kindly ask media teams to restrict their numbers as much as possible as places are limited.

One-to-one interviews should be requested via media@esa.int. Please clearly state who you would like to interview and for which medium. Unfortunately the one-to-one interviews on 22 April are only available to media on-site at EAC.

For media coming to EAC, it will also be possible to arrange interviews on Tuesday 23 April on-site. Please let us know if you wish to arrange an interview on the following day via media@esa.int.

We will try accommodate virtual requests as soon as possible.

The graduation ceremony will also be streamed via esawebtv.esa.int.

Rosemary Coogan

Raphaël Liégeois

Marco Alain Sieber