A Day in the Life of an Astronaut: Internship at the European Astronaut Centre

Have you ever wondered what astronauts do when they're not up in space? CGA student Robert finds out through his two-week long internship at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC).

Here he got to learn all about the European Space Agency (ESA), a behind-the-scenes look at their current projects which included travelling to the moon, and the intensive training it takes to become an astronaut.

A Mission to the Moon

From the very first day, Robert was quick to get into all the action of a day in the life of an astronaut. From where they train, what equipment they use, and even had the unique opportunity to watch astronauts train in real-time at their swimming pool.

“I also learned about the medical team that cares for each astronaut's health and well-being in space.” One of the most important jobs in the medical team is the role of the flight surgeon who ensures the health and safety of astronauts, both on the ground and in orbit. “The information I gathered was quite valuable as I learned about parabolic flight and the physics and mathematics behind it,” shares Robert, excited about all this newfound knowledge. It was a first-day to remember, and according to Robert the learning was immense.

The second day proved to be another fascinating one for Robert as he got an inside look on an upcoming lunar exploration or in Robert's words, “missions focused on reaching the moon”.

He explored the new LUNA facility at ESA, where a large surface is covered with artificial regolith similar to the lunar surface. This ingenious setup allows astronauts to train in an environment that closely mimics the moon's terrain. "It's a remarkable scientific achievement.”

And if you thought that was the end of an extraordinary day, they had more! Robert was then off to visit the Envihab Research Center of the German Space Agency (DLR), where he got to see the different techniques astronauts use to withstand space conditions. “They stay in beds for a month or two at a 6-degree angle to simulate fluid movement in their bodies during space travel.”

The following day, Robert's exploration took him to the command centre of the Columbus training module at EAC. Here, astronauts from various international space agencies come together to learn the intricacies of operating the Columbus module, which forms part of the International Space Station. "This is where astronauts from the USA, Europe, and Russia gather to learn how to control the Columbus module when they go to the International Space Station,” he explained. Robert spent the day fascinated by the collaborative spirit of different nations in space exploration.

Space Internship Success

Robert's week ended with a hands-on project that involved analysing the payload and dimensions of SpaceX’s Starship, along with detailing its potential future applications. "The project went really well, and we were congratulated," a successful first-week mission.

In his second week, Robert got to learn all about PANGEA geology program, which equips astronauts with foundational knowledge in geology for future missions, particularly on the Moon and Mars. This deep dive into geoscience was paired with another practical project where he observed the process of creating bricks from a mixture of moon dust and sand. “The following day was an incredible experience. We visited the Spaceship Lab, where we observed the process of combining artificial regolith (a mixture of Moon dust and sand) with plastic, in a ratio of 80:20, to create bricks that could be used to construct buildings on the Moon.”

How to Become an Astronaut

For Robert, this internship was an eye opener into the exhilarating career of Astronauts. Students interested in a career in Space, have the opportunity to study “Space Exploration” with CGA, which offers a look into Yuri Gagarin's groundbreaking space journey in 1961 and Neil Armstrong's historic moon landing in 1969. Just as Robert did, CGA students also get the chance for hands-on learning experiences with internships at Space agencies around the world.

Speak to one of our Academic Advisors today to learn how you too can get involved.