Sophie Adenot is one of ESA's five astronaut candidates currently undergoing basic astronaut training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. Tune in as she shares her experiences in astronaut training, her favourite lessons, as well as tips on maintaining the balance and achieving your dreams.

This is Episode 6 of our ESA Explores podcast series introducing the ESA astronaut class of 2022, recorded in November 2023.

Music and audio editing by Denzel Lorge. Cover art by Gaël Nadaud.

Access all ESA Explores podcasts.

At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, the Orion vehicle that will be used for Artemis II is getting ready for this first mission to bring humans around the Moon and back in over 50 years. 

The vehicle consists of several parts: the conical crew module on top, where the four astronauts will live during the mission; the crew module adapter directly beneath it, connecting the crew module above and service module below; the cylindrical European Service Module, the powerhouse of Orion providing the crew vehicle with electricity, propulsion, thermal control, air and water; and the conical spacecraft adaptor,