Marcus Wandt was born in 1980 in Sweden.
Marcus graduated from the Sundsta-Älvkullen High School in 1999.
The same year, he became a patrol leader and airborne ranger with the Swedish Army Airborne Ranger School.
In year 2000, he began his studies at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, focusing on electronics and artificial intelligence, communication technology and basic space engineering. He received his master's degree in electrical engineering in 2007.
Marcus joined the Karlberg Military Academy in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2003, where he received leadership training and graduated as an officer from the military officer programme in 2005.
In 2004, Marcus joined the Swedish Air Force Flying Training School to attend basic flying training, which he completed in 2005, followed by basic fighter training in 2006.
In 2011, Marcus was trained to 4-ship lead with the Swedish Air Force Air Operations Commander School and trained to Captain at the Halmstad Military Academy.
From 2013 to 2014, Marcus attended the US Navy Test Pilot School at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, USA, graduating as number one of his class as an experimental test pilot.
Marcus also became a squadron commander and wing commander flying with the Swedish Air Force Operations Commander School. He is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Swedish Air Force.
He speaks Swedish and English.
Between 2003 and 2014, Marcus was active as a fighter pilot with the Swedish Air Force, including international exercises, operational testing, and operational deployment.
In 2006, Marcus founded and became the CEO of Intuitech AB focusing on tactical training of fighter pilots.
From 2014, he was an experimental test pilot at SAAB Aeronautics in Linköping, Sweden, and deputy chief test pilot between 2018 and 2019.
From 2020, Marcus was chief test pilot and head of flight operations at SAAB Aeronautics.
Throughout his academic and professional career, Marcus received various honours and awards for his outstanding performance as a student and pilot.
In November 2022, Marcus was selected as a member of the ESA astronaut reserve.
Marcus joined the European Astronaut Corps on 1 June 2023 as an ESA project astronaut for the Muninn mission – a commercial spaceflight with Axiom Space. He flew to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 3 in January 2024, spending 21 days in orbit conducting microgravity research and educational activities. The Swedish astronaut is the first of a new generation of Europeans to fly on a commercial mission.
Explore Marcus's story in this interview and our ESA Explores podcast, available on major platforms.
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