Go behind the scenes of space exploration with this official podcast from the European Space Agency. This series focuses on ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano’s Beyond mission to the International Space Station.

During his final days of training at ESA’s astronaut centre in Cologne, Germany, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano talks to host Stephen Ennis about his upcoming second mission to the International Space Station – Beyond.

ESA Explores - Beyond Series

ESA Explores Beyond series – Luca & Beyond E01

In this episode of ESA Explores podcast Beyond series, hosts Ally Koehler and Stephen Ennis chat with ESA head of crew support Romain Charles, and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, about events taking place in Baikonur, Kazakhstan before liftoff on 20 July.

ESA Explores Beyond series - Launch traditions E02

ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano will support over 50 European experiments in microgravity during his Beyond mission to the International Space Station. Hosts Ally and Stephen talk to two of the experts who help facilitate this unique space research – Chloe Audas of ESA's ISS research planning team and Marco Carrano, an astronaut trainer at ESA's astronaut centre in Cologne, Germany.

ESA Explores Beyond series – Space Station science E03

Hosts Ally Koehler and Stephen Ennis listen to and discuss some of the sounds that characterise life on the International Space Station with astronaut instructor and ESA BME/Eurocom Serena Bertone.

ESA Explores Beyond Series – Space Station sounds E04

October 2019 is a busy month for spacewalking, and November will be no different. In this episode Ally and Stephen look at what it takes to prepare for and perform a spacewalk or EVA with head of ESA's EVA and Parabolic Flight Training Unit Hervé Stevenin with special content from ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano.

ESA Explores Beyond series – Spotlight on spacewalking E05

In this episode of our ESA Explores Time and Space series we chat with the first ESA astronaut to fly to space, physicist Ulf Merbold.

Ulf flew on the 9th flight of NASA's Space Shuttle programme and the first flight of European-built Spacelab in 1983. As the first west German to fly to space, he talks us through his experiences – including his relationship with the late Sigmund Jähn, what life was like as first non-US citizen on a NASA spacecraft and how the astronauts and cosmonauts he worked with became like family through the years. 

Additional content:

Find out more about Ulf here: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Ulf_Merbold

Watch the NASA/ESA Spacelab documentary here: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/Undated/Spacelab_-_A_New_Direction#.X70FccAUHCs.link

NASA Public Affairs Officer Lori Meggs talks about the 30th anniversary of the Spacelab programme with former Marshall Space Flight Center Deputy Director Teresa Vanhooser here: https://youtu.be/5ukl5ySa6ZA

ESA Explores - Time & Space Series

ESA Explores Time and Space: ESA's first astronaut

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