Walking on the moon, exploring distant planets or orbiting the earth like Astro Alex on board the International Space Station ISS - who has not dreamed of flying into space as an astronaut and experiencing space adventures?

For some men and women, that childhood dream could actually come true soon.

You applied to the European Space Agency Esa, the organization that plans and carries out all space activities in Europe.

But they still have to prove whether they can actually fly into space.

Manfred Lindinger

Editor in the “Nature and Science” section.

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    Because now a tough selection process is waiting for the candidates, which will last until the end of 2023.

    Of the many applicants, only 26 men and women will ultimately have the chance to actually become astronauts.

    Physical fitness and mental resilience are still the main requirements for astronauts.

    But also the willingness and the ability to live in a confined space with other space travelers for six months.

    If you want to do this, you have to work particularly well in a team and be able to withstand stress.

    The more time space travelers spend in weightlessness and the further they travel, the higher the stresses become.

    Many astronauts suffer from acute visual impairment and severe loss of body weight after a long stay in space.

    Everyone who wants to become an astronaut should know that.

    Whereas the astronauts used to be - for example, the spacemen on the Apollo missions fifty or sixty years ago - primarily test pilots who otherwise flew modern jet jets, today scientists and engineers are in demand. Because the manned missions are primarily used for research. How do weightlessness and strong cosmic rays affect the human body? Is there water on the moon and on Mars - and if so, how much of it? Is it even possible for people to stay longer in space? If astronauts fly to Mars one day, they will be on the road for two years. In addition, the ISS is a modern laboratory that researches new materials, but also grows plants in weightlessness and much more. That is why all astronauts have completed a scientific degree.Alexander Gerst, for example, is a geophysicist.

    First of all, the dream may seem unattainable, this is how it worked for Astro Alex. And yet if you have this dream, you can already try to prepare a little for it. Be curious and versatile. Are interested in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, even if these subjects are difficult. Learn English and French. Exercise and keep fit. Try to stay calm when siblings and parents - or classmates - are annoying. Don't become loners, learn to work in a team. Anyone who has the opportunity to fly in a glider or helicopter should take this opportunity. Because then you can immediately test whether you have one of the most important skills of an astronaut. Are you afraid of heights or are you fit to fly?