Andreas Mogensen adds Denmark to Association of Space Explorers
Following his mission to the International Space Station, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen has joined ranks of the Association of Space Explorers. Just 10 days after landing he attended the Association’s congress in Sweden in September, becoming the first Danish member.
The Association is the only professional organisation of spacefarers. It now has almost 400 members from, with his membership, 37 countries. They are united in sharing with audiences all over the world the global perspective they have gained of our planet from their space travel.
The latest congress saw iconic participants such as Alexei Leonov, the first spacewalker, and Bruce McCandless, the first to float freely in space.
The ESA Astronaut Corps was well represented, with the class of 2009 astronauts fascinating their audiences with stories and experiences from space. Samantha Cristoforetti told how she was “Inspired by Space” – the motto of this year’s congress.
Luca Parmitano held his audience spellbound by recounting how he had to find his way blindly back to the airlock as water leaked into his helmet during a spacewalk.
Access the video
All the astronauts at the congress met thousands of schoolchildren and students in Stockholm and southern Sweden during lectures held on two mornings.
“It is an honour, of course, to be the latest member of the Association of Space Explorers,” said Andreas.
“I hope many children we met will now want to follow Samantha, Luca and myself to the stars by studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
Find out more about the Association of Space Explorers via this link: www.space-explorers.org
