Team Blitz India
The UK has a new career astronaut: Rosemary Coogan, the 33-year-old from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who stepped closer to space after a graduation ceremony on April 22 following her European Space Agency (ESA) training.
“Graduating from astronaut basic training is an incredibly moving moment for me. From dreaming about space to now being one step closer to reaching it, I’m filled with gratitude and determination to make the most of this extraordinary opportunity,” she stated, according to a UK Space Agency release.
Rosemary, who was selected as an ESA astronaut candidate from more than 22,500 applicants, spent last year training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne. She will now take part in operational tasks within ESA, which could include working in mission control or crew support.
“I’m proud to share this moment with my fellow astronaut graduates and of the commitment of our international team to exploration. Together, we stand ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, united by our shared passion for space,” added Rosemary. Rosemary and her fellow graduates from the class of 2022 astronaut candidates were the first new recruits to ESA in 13 years.
