UK astronauts selected as ESA unveils 17 new astronaut candidates

By Nick Spall

Published: Thursday, 24 November 2022 at 12:00 am

The European Space Agency has announced its new class of astronaut candidates: 17 potential spacefarers selected from a pool of over 22,500 across Europe.

Included in the 2022 class of ESA astronauts are 3 from the UK and 1 astronaut with a disability.

Following the selection of Tim Peake as the first British astronaut in 2009, UK space fans will have been pleased at yesterday’s announcement of 3 new UK astronauts chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) for its class of 2022, including the world’s first disabled person to undergo astronaut training .

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The ESA Astronaut Class of 2022 includes 3 UK participants: Meganne Christian (L), John McFall (C), and Rosemary Coogan (R). Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images

Rosemary Coogan, a 31-year-old professional astrophysicist who was born in Northern Ireland, was selected to join the ESA astronaut corps as a career astronaut.

British-born scientist Meganne Christian, 35, was appointed as an ESA reserve astronaut, and British Paralympian John McFall, 41, was chosen as a para-astronaut.

He will carry out a joint ESA/NASA study on what needs to be changed so people with physical disabilities can fly safely to space.

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French ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet (C) poses with ESA Astronaut Class of 2022 Arnaud Prost (L) and Sophie Adenot (R) during a ceremony to unveil the European Space Agency new class of career astronauts in Paris on 23 November 2022. Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images.

Across the 22 nations of ESA and more than 22,500 applications, a total 17 new astronaut candidates were selected.

Five applicants were chosen as career astronauts, Paralympic sprinter John McFall was selected as the single parastronaut, with 11 going into the astronaut reserve, made up of the candidates who were successful throughout the entire selection process and were not recruited.

They will receive a consultancy contract from ESA while remaining with their current employers.

Some 50% of the new 17 astronaut candidates are women. Libby Jackson, Director of Human and Robotics Exploration at the UK Space Agency called this: “A good day for the UK and for space – all astronauts were chosen on their skills and merit.”