ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot’s first mission to the International Space Station now has a name: εpsilon. The mission name and patch were announced today at the Paris Air Show by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Sophie Adenot, who joined remotely from the United States, where she is training for her spaceflight.

Sophie Adenot is one of the five astronauts selected from ESA’s most recent astronaut class of 2022. Following the successful completion of their basic training in spring 2024, Josef Aschbacher announced during the Space Council in Brussels that Sophie and fellow graduate Raphaël Liégois had been assigned their first missions to the International Space Station, currently planned for 2026.

The εpsilon name and patch reflect the power of small, yet impactful contributions and how multiple parts unite to create a whole. In mathematics, “ε” represents something small. In the extensive collaborative effort of space exploration, involving thousands of participants, all roles, including the astronaut's role, stay small yet meaningful.

During her εpsilon mission, Sophie will perform numerous scientific experiments, many of them European, conduct medical research, support Earth observation and contribute to operations and maintenance aboard the International Space Station.