Europe Space Agency to recruit more disabled and female astronauts

The European Space Agency is going to holding its first recruitment drive in 11 years and highlights its desire to deliver greater diversity.

The European equivalent of NASA is attempting to recruit maximum women astronauts this year and characters with injuries who have always dreamed of going into space.

"We are studying towards the Moon ... and Mars. We need very excellent explorers for the future," said the ESA’s Director General Jan Worner. "To go very than we ever have previously, we need to look wider than we have before."

Only 65 of the more than 560 individuals who ever gone into space have been women. Of those 65 ladies, 51 were American. The ESA has sent only two ladies into space — Claudie Haigneré and Samantha Cristoforetti — and is now trying to correct the imbalance.

The European agency says the "time has come" to put disabled people into space as part of an action called the Parastronaut Feasibility Project. According to the ESA, it’s the first time that a space agency has started the treatment process up to characters with disabilities.

"Stewarding all sections of our society is a interest that we take very seriously," stated David Parker, the agency’s Human and Robotic Exploration Director. "Diversity at ESA should not only discuss the origin, age, background or gender of our astronauts, but also possibly physical weaknesses."

Famous pianist, Seong-Jin Cho, gives the universe premiere of a recently discovered Mozart piano solo, 'Allegro in D - K.626b/16, during Mozart week at the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation.

The ESA worked with the International Paralympics Committee to categorize the different kinds and degrees of impairments and establish a list of eligible impairments.

"Red" impairments mean that the kind or level of disability is unfortunately not cooperative with tasks astronauts carry out. "Yellow" means they can become compatible with some adjustments, modifications, or innovations, while "green" indicate they are compatible with the tasks.

British astronaut Tim Peake embraced the approach, saying it "will hopefully change the landscape" so that people from diverse backgrounds "will see that there is an opportunity here to become part of Europe’s new space pioneers."

The application process, company officials say, will take some 18 months before a handful of successful astronauts will be chosen.

The ESA is seeking applicants with a Master's degree or higher and a minimum of three years experience in natural sciences, medicine, engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences.

They will be subjected to psychological test series, practical and psychometric testing, a medical choice, and two rounds of interviews. The appointments are to be announced in October 2022.

The European Space Agency is going to holding its first recruitment drive in 11 years and highlights its desire to deliver greater diversity.

The European equivalent of NASA is seeking to recruit maximum women astronauts this year and characters with injuries who have always dreamed of going into space.

"We are studying towards the Moon ... and Mars. We need very excellent explorers for the future," said the ESA’s Director General Jan Worner. "To go very than we ever have previously, we need to look wider than we have before."