Germany, Russia, USA: For his space flight, the Saarland Esa astronaut Matthias Maurer trains in training centers around the world - always on the lookout for Corona.
Houston / Saarbrücken (dpa) - According to the 51-year-old, the training before the planned rocket launch of the German astronaut Matthias Maurer in the fall is running smoothly.
"The preparations are in full swing despite the corona pandemic," said the astronaut from the European space agency Esa.
In Houston, the training runs for six months of life, research and operations in space; in Hawthorne, near Los Angeles, take-off and landing are practiced with the “Crew Dragon” capsule.
"And in Florida, survival on the high seas in the event of a ditching."
Also in Moscow - training on the Russian part of the ISS and moving in a space suit - and, if the Corona situation allows, training in Japan.
He is also preparing in Germany, said the Saarlander of the German press agency.
For example, the European experiments and systems of the European ISS module Columbus are being tested at the Esa Astronaut Center EAC in Cologne.
If everything goes according to plan, Maurer will be the twelfth German in space after his launch in Florida - and the fourth German on the ISS.
With Maurer, NASA astronauts Thomas Marshburn, Raja Chari and Kayla Barron will set off to the flying laboratory around 400 kilometers above the earth.
The mission will probably last from the end of October until mid-April 2022. Maurer has a doctorate in materials science.
He will be the first German to fly the private “Crew Dragon” spaceship from SpaceX.
Some 35 experiments from Germany and numerous international experiments are primarily planned - but the astronaut also wants to make some music.
He won't take an instrument with him, said the next German in space.
But there is one thing he wants to explore semi-scientifically, so to speak, in earth orbit.
"I want to find out whether it's just gravity that keeps me from becoming a talented guitar player," said Maurer with a wink.
Music from and on the ISS is nothing unusual.
Every now and then the outpost of humanity becomes a kind of jukebox in space.
Then astronauts, like the Canadian Chris Hadfield, pick up the guitar or another instrument in their limited free time.
Some are part of the inventory, on board, for example, a flute and a bagpipe race around the globe at around 28,000 kilometers per hour.
Making music - although it has its pitfalls in weightlessness - has been part of space travel, almost since humans have been flying into space.
The Esa astronaut also revealed what music will be playing until the engines ignite.
"During the waiting time before the start and on the days before I will probably hear a lot of relaxing electronic chillout and good mood music," said Maurer, naming Coldplay, Moby and Morcheeba, for example.
"When I dream of a rocket launch, which is quite violent, I prefer to listen to catchy and stronger rock music with strong electric guitar sounds like Metallica or AC / DC."
As a “cosmic disc jockey”, Maurer also wants to send fast beats to earth.
“I take an app with me on my iPad that I can use to produce electronic music.” He is following in the footsteps of Luca Parmitano - the Italian Esa astronaut had sent dance music to a party ship in 2019 as a “space DJ”.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210620-99-67065 / 2
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