Astronaut selection
ESA TV Exchanges
The European Space agency has just closed its first public recruitment drive to find 8 people to become the European astronauts of the future. With space exploration to the Moon and Mars becoming an increasingly real prospect for the next generation of astronauts almost 10 000 applicants from the 17 countries that make up ESA responded to this dream of becoming an astronaut, a job for which you need of course to have the right stuff. This story explains the good and bad of an astronaut career.
For more info on this subject please check the script that is online as a PDF file under :http://television.esa.int/photos/EbS57899.pdf
A WMV preview clip is online under :http://esa.contentcoders.com/mphi/NEW_ASTRONAUTS_TV_25-06-08_wmphigh.wmv
The same set of files is available on the e-vision ftp.
More backgroud information can be found on: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM3ZTRHKHF_index_0.html

New Astronauts
10:00:40
The European Space agency has just closed its first public recruitment drive to find 8 people to become the European astronauts of the future.
Thousands of people from the 17 countries that make up the ESA... responded to this dream of becoming an astronaut, but what are the qualities ESA is looking for?
10:01:06
Michel Tognini - Head of European Astronaut Centre (French ITV).
""It's not enough to be a good scientist but then be in poor health or physical shape. You have to be a good scientist AND in good health and good shape, you must be able to learn things outside of the field of science and carry out complex tasks.""
10:01:34
There aren't many people lucky enough to have viewed earth from space. Photos of the men and women who've joined this elite group since 1978 hang in the hallway of The European Astronaut Centre in Germany.
While astronauts are passionate about their jobs thereís no denying that itís a demanding one.
10:01:43
Leopold Eyharts, Astronaut, ESA (French ITV)
""You nee