Thomas Pesquet: Taking on Space

April 23, 2021, Cape Canaveral: the Falcon 9 has lifted... It will launch the Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavour from the SpaceX operated Crew-2 Flight. It is the first manned reuse of a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The 4-person crew includes Thomas Pesquet, en route for a 199-day stay on board the ISS. Pesquet’s Mission Alpha is underway… The International Space Station is the largest artificial object orbiting Earth. It has been permanently occupied since 2000, primarily for scientific purposes, thanks to extensive ground control facilities and the cooperation of a number of space agencies, including of course NASA and ESA.

Thomas Pesquet is the European Space Agency’s most experienced astronaut (nearly 400 days in space) and the European record holder for most cumulative hours spent spacewalking. The objectives of Mission Alpha: to carry out 232 scientific experiments and technical maintenance operations on the ISS.

Pesquet tells the exceptional story of daily life in space, of Mission Alpha and lab experiments in space. But he also recounts the exacting preparation prior to space flight: astronauts must be able to handle unexpected dangers, specialized vehicles, and the challenges of leaving and returning to Earth... 

We will accompany Pesquet on his mission, thanks to images captured by ESA, SpaceX and NASA, together with 3D animations.  An in-depth analysis of the scientific challenges and the hazards of human space flight will complete the experience.

How do we get ready for such a long stay in space? What are the dangers and challenges of such missions? Why is it necessary to keep fit on board? Why do astronauts have to sleep in an upright position? Embark on an exceptional journey to space through the firsthand account of Thomas Pesquet and interviews with the scientists and engineers whose dedication and work makes the impossible possible.