2 British women & a former Paralympian selected to be astronauts by the ESA

[icebearforpresident]

Rosemary Coogan has been selected as a career astronaut - assuming she gets through training she is guaranteed a flight. Meganne Christin was selected as a reserve astronaut and John McFall has been selected as a para-astronaut. While he is not guaranteed a trip to space he will help conduct feasibility studies to see if adjustments can safely be made to put those with psychical disabilities into space, and as a result may secure a flight himself.

3 British candidates selected and 2 were women (8 women altogether out of 17) Surely I’m not the only one to find this exciting?

I'm in two minds about space exploration - possibly because I don't have a very good understanding of it. I don't think it's a bad thing, in itself but in the current climate, is it the best use of money to send people up into space? I'd be interested to hear the views of someone who understands more about it.

That said, congratulations to the chosen astronauts and it's great that two women have been picked.

Didn't mean to kill this interesting thread!😔

Sorry @PlaitBilledDuckyPuss (excellent name BTW!), I started this then disappeared thanks to a minor medical issue with one of the kids (all ok now)

Yes, totally appreciate that the millions the UK out towards the ESA might not be considered the best use of funds, and I don’t know how much we do contribute but not a lot compared to other counties, but the funding would have been agreed years ago so it was being spent, cost of living crisis or no. The scientific advances from space exploration are incredible and can really benefit life on earth. The ESA have also been heavily involved with the development of the space launch system, which nasa are currently testing in orbit around the moon, so one of these new astronauts or Tim Peake, could walk in the moon in the not too distant future.

I’m a total idiot when it comes to all things science but I find space travel utterly fascinating and if I had any of the skills required would have applied for selection myself. NASA hope to land on the moon again around the year 2025, and have already confirmed a woman will be on the first landing, my kids love watching videos from the ISS on YouTube and now that 2 British women have been selected suddenly being an astronaut, or involved in space somehow, will seem like something that’s actually achievable for them.

If it has to happen then I'm pleased that women and disabled people are participating as equals. I'm not really on board with manned space flights and putting people on the moon though. They seem like massive, wasteful, polluting vanity projects incommensurate with the benefits gained.

I think it's great OP, too many people thinking everyone should be sat at home being miserable about everything at the moment!