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

In the final episode of our Time and Space series, ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration David Parker talks us through Europe's next steps into space. We hear about ESA's three exploration destinations: the International Space Station, the Moon and Mars and get a feel for what it might be like to travel to the Gateway – a planned space station around the Moon.

ESA Explores Time & Space

ESA Explores Time and Space: forward to the Moon

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

ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is preparing for a series of spacewalks to service the dark-matter-hunting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer AMS-02. In this bonus episode he speaks about his upcoming spacewalk, its tasks and its challenges directly from the International Space Station.

ESA Explores Beyond series – Luca spacewalk special E05.1

In 1859, the largest solar storm on record struck Earth, bringing the aurora down to the equator and technology of the time to a stop. In this episode, we explore the Carrington event and what it was like to experience, and hear about past understandings of the dancing lights in the skies, as well as learn about more modern understandings of what's going on.

ESA Explores Space Safety – The day of the solar event

It seems the further we venture out from Earth – first with satellites in orbit and then with explorers to the Moon and Mars – the more space weather has the chance to disrupt, destroy, or even harm us.

Find out what would happen if a huge solar storm struck Earth today with author and astronomy journalist Stuart Clark. And, what is ESA doing to protect us? Jussi Luntama, Head of ESA's Space Weather Office explains all...

ESA Explores Space Safety – Lagrange mission to provide solar warning

Exercise in space is about more than just looking good – it's essential for astronaut health. In this episode Ally Koehler and Stephen Ennis chat to ESA exercise team lead Nora Peterson and ESA biomedical engineer Beate Fischer about how astronauts like Luca stay fit and healthy in space.

ESA Explores Beyond series - fit for space E06

The festive season is in full force. Find out how astronauts celebrate special occasions on the Space Station with ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, BME/Eurocom coordinator for ESA Andrea Boyd and your hosts Ally Koehler and Stephen Ennis.

ESA Explores Beyond series - space celebrations E07

As Luca's six months in space draws to a close, ESA Explores hosts chat to flight surgeon Maybritt Kuypers about the medical challenges of returning an astronaut to Europe from the International Space Station.

ESA Explores Beyond series – back to Earth E08

Science advisor Dr Aidan Cowley works with students and researchers on ideas that could shape the way we go forward to the Moon. In this episode, he discusses an initiative called Spaceship EAC, the future of space exploration and an alternative use for your kitchen microwave as ESA looks beyond Low Earth Orbit.

ESA Explores Beyond series: looking beyond Beyond E09

Just a short time after returning from 201 days in orbit on the International Space Station as part of his Beyond mission, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano talks to Ally Koehler about his Beyond mission and life back on Earth.

ESA Explores Beyond series – Luca reflects on a mission E10

We speak to an astronomer who spends his day studying the motions of ancient asteroids as they roam around the Solar System. If one of them poses a threat, he'll be one of the first to know, and would provide us with the information we would need to act.

In this episode, Marco Micheli tells us how many asteroids we know of, how many he is currently worried about, and what we could do to prevent an impact. He also explains how the Gaia observatory currently mapping a billion stars has revolutionised our understanding of the motions of asteroids:

“Its very rare to have such a dramatic change in science. Typically, science moves forwards in small steps towards improvement, but Gaia is such a huge leap forward in this specific area of asteroids, its amazing”.

ANW3043 - Life Science

ESA Explores risky asteroids with Astronomer Marco Micheli

In episode one of the ESA Explores Time and Space series, we explore the early days of Soviet spaceflight in conversation with Romania's first cosmonaut Dorin Prunariu. Dorin was one of 11 Europeans to fly under Russia's Interkosmos programme. In 1978, this programme saw the first European - Czech cosmonaut Vladimir Remek - become the first non-Russian or American to fly to space.

ESA Explores Time and Space: the first Europeans in orbit

One of the first engineers to work on Spacelab Alan Thirkettle talks hosts Ally and Stephen through the unexpected challenges and memorable moments of building a science laboratory for space.

This unique European-built research facility flew inside NASA's Space Shuttle. It enabled the first flight of a non-American astronaut on a NASA spacecraft in 1983. It also paved the way for ESA's current laboratory on the International Space Station and the future of research in space.

Related watching:
Spacelab - a new direction
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/Undated/Spacelab_-_A_New_Direction#.X5AEwxB0wGw.link

ESA Explores Time and Space: building a Spacelab

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

In this episode, hosts Ally Koehler and Stephen Ennis take a look at some of the post-SpaceLab ESA projects that never quite made it, before entering the International Space Station era with guests Philippe Berthe, Frank De Winne, and Alan Thirkettle.  

Philippe is ESA project manager for the European Service Modules that will power NASA's Orion spacecraft on its mission around – and to – the Moon. Frank was the first European commander of the International Space Station. He currently wears many hats, including ESA International Space Station Programme Manager. Alan is an engineering expert and was ESA's first ISS Programme Manager. 

Please forgive audio quality in some parts of this episode. All content was recorded remotely due to COVID-19 regulations.

ESA

Richárd Csiszár