The UK Space Agency is actively searching for the next British astronaut and is looking beyond the able-bodied for the first time.
A recruitment drive from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the UK has launched today with the ultimate goal of hiring and training people who will be sent to the moon before the end of the 2020s.
This recruitment drive, the first from ESA since 2008, is the only one in history to feature a pilot scheme which encourages people living with disabilities to apply.
Individuals with missing feet or lower legs, either from amputation or birth defects, are eligible, as too are people who are shorter than 130 cm (4ft 3in).
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British astronaut Tim Peake is helping with the latest recruitment drive and will likely be going back to the International Space Station in the coming years
The lucky individual will continue the British space exploration legacy started by Helen Sharman in 1989 and continued in 2015 by Tim Peake.
Ms Sharman became the first British Astronaut when she was selected for the joint UK – Soviet Union mission, Juno and spent eight days in space in May 1991. She also made history as the first female Astronaut to visit the Mir Space Station.
Mr Peake however became the first government-funded Briton in space when he launched to the ISS on December 15, 2015. he spent six months on the ISS and was the first Briton to complete a spacewalk.
Mr Peake was part of the 2008 ESA recruiting class alongside five other Britons and this was the last time the ESA actively recruited for astronauts.
Although more people than ever are being encouraged to apply, there are still stringent restrictions on who can become an astronaut.
For example, people are only eligible if they are either qualified as an experimental test pilot or hold a master’s degree or higher in Natural Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, Mathematics or Computer Sciences.
Fluency in English is essential, as to is the ability to be calm under pressure and a willingness to participate in life science experiments.
‘Over the next few years and decades, space exploration will become even more exciting as we travel back to the Moon and even further to Mars,’ Mr Peake said.
‘For space missions to succeed, they require highly motivated people from diverse backgrounds to combine their skills and work as a team.
‘The next generation of UK citizens have so much to offer the world, and so I would encourage anyone who has dreamt of pushing the boundaries of what is possible to take this opportunity to be part of ESA’s future cohort of space pioneers.’
Applications will go via the ESA website and open on March 31 for two months.
Following this period of time there will be a 17-month process of screening and testing before the finalists are announced in October 2022.
Science Minister, Amanda Solloway, said: ‘Becoming an astronaut is a dream for many, and Tim Peake’s historic mission to space in 2015 showed millions of Brits that it can become a reality, while putting the UK firmly on the map as a leading space-faring nation.
‘With the UK space sector receiving more government backing than ever before, it’s time for a new generation of British astronauts to answer this call as we continue working with our European partners to push the boundaries of science and exploration even further.’
The coveted role of astronaut is the most well-known role in the sector of space exploration but 42,000 people in the UK work in the business, with roles ranging from aerospace engineers to lawyers.
Applications will open on March 31st and stay open for two months until May 28th.
There will then be a 17-month process of screening, psychological, practical, and psychometric testing, medical selections and two interview selections until the final applicants will be appointed and announced in October 2022.
‘Becoming an astronaut has been a dream come true. It brings together many of my passions,’ Samantha Cristoforetti, current ESA astronaut said of the opening.
She said it covers ‘science and technology, complex machines, demanding operational environments, international teams, physical fitness, public outreach. And of course, occasionally you get to ride a rocket to work!’
For the parastronaut vacancy, while they will remain a member of the reserve crew, ESA plans to work with commercial space operators to find a safe way to send them to the ISS where thy can perform ‘meaningful and useful work’.