ESA needs to ship German astronauts to the moon | EUROtoday

breaking information

As of: November 27, 2025 1:46 p.m

The European Space Agency ESA has introduced {that a} German astronaut will participate in a lunar mission. Who precisely will participate within the journey to the moon stays to be seen.

As a part of the “Artemis” area program operated by the USA, a German can be to be despatched to the moon. However, it’s unsure whether or not this additionally means a moon touchdown, as it is going to nonetheless be a number of years earlier than the mission in query begins.

“I have decided that the first Europeans who will fly on a lunar mission will be ESA astronauts of German, French and Italian nationality,” stated the pinnacle of the European Space Agency ESA, Josef Aschbacher. First it was Germany’s flip. It stays unclear which astronaut will undertake the journey. Candidates can be ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer.

Travel for German astronauts solely potential from 2028

The USA has deliberate three manned missions for the subsequent few years: In the primary half of this 12 months, astronauts are scheduled to orbit the moon on the ten-day “Artemis 2” mission. In 2027, “Artemis 3” will see astronauts land on the moon once more after greater than half a century. The “Artemis 4” mission is at the moment scheduled for 2028, however specialists count on postponements.

ESA is concerned within the “Artemis” program. With the European service module manufactured within the Airbus manufacturing facility in Bremen, it provides an vital part of the “Orion” spacecraft, which is meant to take the astronauts into lunar orbit. The area businesses additionally need to construct a lunar station collectively. The “Gateway” is meant to orbit the moon, much like how the ISS orbits the Earth.

More info coming quickly.