European Astronaut Center

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Columbus module for astronaut training at the EAC in Cologne-Lind
Diving pool for training in weightlessness in the EAC

The European Astronaut Center ( English European Astronaut Center , EAC ) is the central institution of the European Space Agency for the training of astronauts. It is located on the premises of the German Aerospace Center in Cologne-Lind .

In the EAC, among others, the European Astronaut Corps trains for space missions, mainly on the International Space Station .

In 1990 the ESA Council of Ministers decided that the EU needed its own astronaut corps and its own manned space flight. However, according to previous considerations, Europe (or ESA) will not develop its own manned launch system, but will only launch it together with the Russian Soyuz spacecraft or future US programs for manned space flight.

As part of the ISS program, not only European astronauts, but also Russian, American, Canadian and Japanese astronauts train at the EAC. The contract for the operation of the station stipulates that the astronauts involved in the project may train at all training facilities. The most important training program concerns the European Columbus space laboratory ; Previously, the use of the ATV space freighter was also practiced.

In the EAC there is a plunge pool that is 17 × 22 m in size and 10 m deep. Field missions in space are rehearsed there under conditions similar to weightlessness . For this purpose, models of large room station modules are left in the pool.

Web links

Commons : European Astronaut Center  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ (the body in which the research ministers of all member states are represented and which makes fundamental decisions)

Coordinates: 50 ° 51 '8.84 "  N , 7 ° 7' 54.14"  O