Invited Wednesday from Europe 1, the astronaut Jean-François Clervoy returned to the recruitment campaign that is about to launch the European Space Agency, in search of his new generation of astronauts.
ESA hopes to be able to recruit more women, and initiates an opening towards people with disabilities.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to recruit its future generation of astronauts.
The agency is making its new selection, the first since 2009, at the end of which only between four and six candidates will be selected at the end of a process that will open on March 31 with the reception of applicants, and s 'will be completed in October 2022. And this time, ESA intends to diversify its recruitment a little more, with more women, confirms at the microphone of Europe 1 Jean-François Clervoy, French engineer and astronaut at the agency.
"We would like to have better parity between men and women", indicates Jean-François Clervoy.
In the past, women were in fact very much in the minority within the selections: "One in six women in the last recruitment in 2009, one in six in 1992 and one in seven in 1985," explains the astronaut.
However, he said, this under-representation also reflected the low "proportion of women who presented themselves at the start" of the selections.
In 2008, less than 16% of candidates were women.
"Don't think it's a job for men anymore"
ESA therefore hopes to see more women candidates.
"This is why this time, the agency is putting the package on the communication to say to the women: 'Do not consider any more that it is a job for the men. It is as much for the women as the men. Apply en masse! ”, Explains Jean-François Clervoy.
A call similar to that of Thomas Pesquet, who, in a video message stresses that "the important thing is not to self-censor".
How to apply
Applications must be submitted on the ESA website from March 31 to May 28.
It is necessary to have a master's degree in a scientific field and three years of professional experience, but also to speak English perfectly and to master a second language well.
The age limit has been extended to 50 years.
Very good physical condition is essential.
The selection process includes several tests, technical, psychological, medical ... which will end with job interviews.
"We hope that the proportion of women at the start will be higher than in the past," concludes Jean-François Clervoy.
And to add: "Even if this proportion is a little lower, at the end of the selection process, we could perhaps take a number of women greater than what they represent in proportion in these finalists".
Opening up to people with disabilities
Another innovation: the space agency opens the door to people with physical disabilities, to conduct a "feasibility" study on the access of space flights to "parastronauts".
"Those that we are going to select will help the European Space Agency to think about developing equipment, vessels, which will be compatible with certain types of handicap, which themselves are not prohibitive in order to be able to successfully complete a mission in the world. 'space".
Among these achievable missions, provided that appropriate equipment is put in place, "piloting a vessel, the robotic arm, or carrying out all kinds of scientific experiments which are done mainly with the hands".
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The young recruits will have the vocation to fly initially to the ISS, and, in the future, to participate in future lunar missions.
In addition, for the first time, ESA will create a “reserve corps” in parallel.
"People identified as capable of working in space, but who remain in their home laboratory until we need them for a mission where we need their specialty", explains Jean-François Clervoy.