Nine people from across Europe have finished a training program that makes them ready to fly to space at a moment's notice. They are not career astronauts. They are the reserve. And they just completed the Astronaut Reserve Training program run by the European Space Agency in Cologne, Germany.
From classrooms to survival in the snow
The training started in October 2024. Over three blocks of about two months each, the group learned the core skills that professional astronauts master. They studied how the International Space Station works, how spacecraft systems operate, and how to handle life support and flight engineering. They also learned about human behavior and performance in isolation, medical procedures, and scientific operations.
Then came the physical tests. The group practiced spacewalk basics by scuba diving in a giant pool called the Neutral Buoyancy Facility, which simulates the weightlessness of space. They also spent time in winter conditions, learning survival techniques for the possibility that their spacecraft lands in a remote, cold place.
Fire, water, and teamwork under pressure
From September to October 2025, all nine members came together at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne for eight weeks of joint training. They moved beyond the basics into mission design, propulsion, orbital mechanics, and how to operate experiments on the space station. They practiced using cameras and video equipment for research. They ran scenario based exercises that tested their coordination and decision making under stress.
They also trained for emergencies. They fought fires. They practiced sea survival. They returned to the Neutral Buoyancy Facility for more spacewalk preparation. The program was designed to make them capable of stepping into a real mission at any time.
The nine people who completed the program are Sara García Alonso from Spain, Meganne Christian and John McFall from the United Kingdom, Anthea Comellini and Andrea Patassa from Italy, Carmen Possnig from Austria, Arnaud Prost from France, Amelie Schoenenwald from Germany, and Aleš Svoboda from Czechia.
They are now in a state of readiness. If ESA calls, they are prepared to go.
