The addition of ESA's Columbus laboratory, and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) programme, changed the shape of European participation on the International Space Station. But its launch came at a challenging time for human spaceflight.

In this episode ESA astronaut Frank De Winne and former ESA International Space Station programme manager Bernardo Patti talk about Columbus' launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis, the tragedy that preceded it, and what the science lab has enabled for Europeans in space to this day. 

On 31 March 2021, ESA is opening applications for its first astronaut recruitment round in more than a decade. Visit esa.int/YourWayToSpace to find out more and #MakeYourWayToSpace

ESA Explores Time and Space: launching Columbus to orbit

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

Official SoundCloud channel of ESA - the European Space Agency. Most (not all) audio content here is licensed under CC BY-SA IGO 3.0. Please check individual credits to be certain. Can't find a track? Our channel used to be http://www.soundcloud.com/esaops - but not anymore. Try searching here for the track name or using keywords instead.