Matthias Maurer has been on the ISS space station for a week. In a video call he now reveals how the first time was and what it takes to make him the happiest person on the planet.
The German astronaut Matthias Maurer compared his first days on the International Space Station with a young bird learning to fly.
“I feel like a young bird that has only just grown wings, and now I have to learn how to fly,” said Maurer on Friday in a first video call from the ISS. He still has to get used to living and working in space. The astronaut made a satisfied impression when the European space agency Esa called at the interim meeting of the Esa Council of Ministers in Matosinhos, Portugal. “Everything is wonderful up here,” he said.
The Esa astronaut Maurer arrived at the ISS a week ago with his three NASA colleagues. The 51-year-old from Saarland is the twelfth German in space, the fourth on the ISS – and the first to fly there in a “Crew Dragon”. On the ISS, he will carry out numerous experiments for about six months at an altitude of around 400 kilometers and will probably also complete an outdoor mission. The last time a German Esa astronaut was on board the ISS was Alexander Gerst in 2018.
Maurer said that for the first few days the group was initially busy clearing material for the experiments from the “Crew Dragon”. He himself will be involved in around 150 experiments and hopes that they will help improve Europe’s knowledge and reputation in the world. On Friday, however, he was also busy with what he said was a “very mundane” task, namely maintaining the toilet. To do this, he said he had to dig deep into the inside of the toilet and the pipe.
In the call, Maurer also called for more cross-border cooperation. “We have no limits,” said Maurer. At least from space you don’t see any limits. Cooperation is what drives the international ISS community forward. “Working together is the key to further exploring the universe,” he said, referring to the exploration of the moon and Mars.
There is now progress in Europe, but his opinion needs more promises, said Maurer. “I see an urgent need for Europe to invest more in space”. In this way you can see what is happening around the earth and inspire young people who might later become astronauts. “If my work can help to support Esa in their endeavors to become an even stronger partner for Europe, then I am the happiest astronaut in space and also the happiest person on the planet.”
Source From: Stern
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
