After two missions to the International Space Station (ISS), Andreas Mogensen now works at ESA’s Astronaut Center in Cologne. He lives there with his wife and their three children, aged 6, 8, and 11 years.
Recently, the Danish astronaut was in Copenhagen to present the 3D-printed metal that DTU had made on the space station using a printer he set up during his mission.
In connection with this, he visited DTU Space, where there was time for a conversation about his current work and the dream of a third space mission. If possible, to the moon.
”I would definitely like to go to the moon if it becomes possible for me. But the probability of that happening is very low. There are other European astronauts from some of the larger countries and contributors in ESA who are much further ahead in line. But as I said, if this opportunity come up, I would love to go to space again,” the Danish astronaut says while eating a sandwich after a talk at DTU, before flying back to Cologne and the astronaut center.
The Danish astronaut’s first space trip in 2015 lasted 10 days. The second stretched over more than half a year in 2023-24. During this time, Andreas was commander of the space station for a period.”
The job at ESA is still exciting
What are you working on right now at ESA?
”I support upcoming missions to the space station. For example, I help support engineers in the development of new payloads that will go to the space station, ensuring that the design allows it to be assembled and function correctly in space. Typically, an experienced astronaut is involved as an advisor, so nothing is made on Earth that cannot work on the space station. We are also involved in designing the procedures that must be followed when equipment is installed in space,” Andreas Mogensen explains.
”I’m also working on a potentially upcoming moon mission, the Artemis project, where Europe is deeply involved in collaboration with NASA, among others. The plan is to send a European astronaut to the moon. Additionally, I am somewhat involved with the lunar test facility, which is an indoor simulated lunar landscape that we are currently working on with private companies. Right now, we are stress-testing parts of this structure.”
Do you work with both ESA and NASA?
”I work for ESA, but everything in manned spaceflight in Europe is done in close cooperation with NASA and space agencies from several other countries. For example, we train new astronauts here at the astronaut center. Crew 11 and 12, who are going to the space station, have just been here for training to use the Columbus module, which is a scientific laboratory on the space station built by ESA. The entire Crew 10, who are going to the space station soon, were here a few months ago (they arrived last sunday). So, I see quite a few astronaut colleagues, which is nice.”
Is the work still exciting, or do all jobs lose some appeal after you’ve had your daily workplace in space for over half a year as the 'commander and engineer' on the space station?
”Earlier, I thought some of the most boring tasks were verification and review of procedures, as well as simulating experiments and maintenance. But a few weeks ago, we simulated replacing a large element that’s going up to the space station. We had to go through all the procedures for assembly and tool usage. And it was almost like being back again, and it was a really nice experience,” says Mogensen.
”In such situations I can really use my experience as an astronaut. The engineers have a plan for what needs to be built for the space station and then want feedback from an astronaut who has experience from being there. For example, they had a tool I needed for the simulation, which isn’t used often on the space station. I hadn’t seen it before and wouldn’t immediately know where to find it on the space station. There are so many things up there, and it would take a long time to locate it. I could point that out, so we could include in the procedure where to find that specific tool.”
The Beef with Elon Musk
Recently, Elon Musk claimed in an interview on Fox News that your two American astronaut colleagues Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were ‘left behind’ on the space station for longer than planned for ‘political reasons,’ which former US president Joe Biden was blamed for. You then wrote on X that it was ‘a lie,’ after which Musk called you ‘retarded’ on X. Later, your point of view was supported by a comment from NASA. How do you feel about that beef?
”There were so many political statements made right at that time that were ‘over the top’, and then I wrote a tweet that this one wasn’t true. I honestly didn’t expect him (Musk) to see my tweet and reply. Personally, I think his reaction was ‘over the top,’ but it didn’t have anything to do with me personally, so I’m fine with it.”
You mention that you're often asked if you’ve been scared during your space missions when you’re giving talks. Were you?
”No, I’ve never been afraid in connection with my work as an astronaut. The first time I went to the space station in 2015, it was mostly just exciting. When I went again for the second time in 2023, it was a bit different. I was more aware of the challenges that might arise during a space mission. Probably because I have three kids now. But I wasn’t scared, just more aware, I would say.”
What are your plans for the coming years?
”I’ll continue working at ESA and with manned spaceflight at the astronaut center. I’ve never regretted choosing this path. I’m really happy with my job as an astronaut at ESA, and my family is thriving in Germany, where the kids have started school,” says Mogensen.
”And it’s also a great satisfaction for me to know that several of the projects I’ve been involved in launching and working on at the space station continue after my mission has ended. This includes Danish projects like the 3D metal printing and the lightning recordings in the Thor-Davis project, as well as the Sleep in Orbit project on methods to improve astronaut sleep during missions. They’re all so good that they continue.”
And he hopes that a successor to the space station will be in place when it’s scheduled to be decommissioned around 2030, so astronauts can still be sent into space to conduct experiments.
”There are various proposals being considered. It’s likely that a model will emerge where private companies run a space station, possibly in cooperation with NASA, where ESA and other space organisations can buy access for astronauts to research and experimental facilities.”
Denmark and Europe should invest more in space
Denmark is among the countries contributing the least to ESA, with only 0.8 percent of the budget, while Norway and Sweden contribute 1.3 and 1.5 percent, respectively, and countries like Poland have increased their contributions significantly to 3.8 percent. At the same time, the US invests about four times as much as Europe in civilian spaceflight.
How do you see the future development of spaceflight and space research?
”Denmark is a strong player in the space sector due to high quality in technology, research, and education in this field. But more investments are needed in the space sector. So, I hope that both Denmark and Europe recognise the need to increase investments so we can become more independent, competitive, and inspire more young people to educate themselves in the fields of technology and natural sciences.”
What do you find most exciting in space exploration these days?
”For example, it’s fascinating that with telescopes in space and on Earth, we can find exoplanets and analyze what their atmospheres consist of, potentially indicating whether life could exist on some of these exoplanets. I’m also fascinated by the search for signs of past life on Mars, which is being carried out by robotic vehicles like NASA's Perseverance, which has covered a route of 3-4 kilometers over a few years,” says the Danish astronaut before returning to the dream of humans on the moon.
”I also find it super inspiring that we have plans to return to the moon with humans, which I believe are far better at exploring a planet than robots. On the moon, after all, the Apollo mission astronauts covered up to 20-30 kilometers per day in their vehicles.”
