Story Science & Exploration Alexander Gerst 213192 views 652 likes Read

Education

Gerst studied geophysics at the University of Karlsruhe, geosciences in New Zealand and earned his doctorate in volcanology at the University of Hamburg in 2010. While studying, he worked as a volcanologist at the University of Hamburg’s Institute of Geophysics and was involved in several research expeditions on every continent. 

In 2009, Gerst was selected as an astronaut and began his basic astronaut training at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne. On 22 November 2010, upon successful completion of his training, he received his official astronaut certificate from ESA. 

Space Missions

In September 2014, Gerst flew on his first mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Gerst was part of Expeditions 40/41 during his ‘Blue Dot’ mission and spent a total of 166 days in space, during which he conducted hundreds of experiments and worked closely with his colleagues from different countries.  

His second mission, ‘Horizons’, began in June 2018. Gerst was on the ISS for an additional 197 days as part of Expeditions 56/57 and increased his cumulative time in space to about a year. In addition to his role as a flight engineer, he trained as a pilot for the Soyuz spacecraft. During the Blue Dot mission, he became the first German and second European ever to command the International Space Station.  

Blue Dot 

In August 2011, Alexander Gerst was named as a crew member for ISS Expeditions 40/41. He began his mission-specific preparations at Moscow’s Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in April 2012. 

During the mission, which lasted from 28 May to 10 November 2014, Gerst served as an on-board engineer. The ‘Blue Dot’ mission was named after the first photograph taken of the outer solar system by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft. American astronomer Carl Sagan described the picture of the Earth as a ‘Pale Blue Dot’. 

Gerst tested new technologies and conducted scientific experiments in physics, biology, human physiology and radiation research. Additionally, he was responsible for docking the European space freighter ATV-5, as well as the American Dragon and Cygnus supply capsules. 

Alexander Gerst completed an extravehicular activity (EVA) on 7 October 2014 with his NASA colleague Reid Wiseman. During the 6-hour and 13-minute-long EVA, Gerst completed several tasks, including relocating a defective cooling pump and installing a new cable system for the gripper arm. 

More about the Blue Dot mission.

Horizons 

On 6 June, Alexander Gerst began the ‘Horizons’ mission with his second flight to the International Space Station.  

From 3 October 2018 until the end of his mission on 20 December, Gerst was commander of the International Space Station. He was the second ESA astronaut in this role and, complementing the duties of the flight director on the ground, was responsible for safety and the day-to-day operations on board the ISS. In the event of an emergency and possible loss of communications, the ISS commander assumes sole command. Team leadership, alongside motivating and promoting partnerships, also fall under the duties of an ISS commander. 

Alexander Gerst returned to Earth on 20 December, marking the successful completion of the Horizons mission, during which he conducted more than 60 European experiments in space. During his mission, he also installed the first commercial research facility at the Columbus laboratory. Several scientific experiments returned to Earth with the three-person crew aboard the Soyuz, including the Dose 3D experiment, which provided greater insight into the dose and distribution of radiation aboard the space station. This is one of many experiments beneficial to both Earth and manned and robotic exploration as Europe prepares for future missions to the Moon and beyond. 

Highlights of the Horizons mission, including an extensive selection of photographs taken by Gerst, are compiled on Flickr.  

Video footage of his stay in space is available on YouTube. More information about the mission can be found on the Horizons blog and in the Horizons brochure. 

Other duties at ESA

After his return to Earth in December 2018, in addition to his astronaut training activities, Gerst began developing strategies at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands for ESA member states to participate in missions in Earth’s orbit after the discontinuation of the ISS. 

Gerst offers his space experience to various international development projects. Together with NASA and various European space companies, Gerst is part of ESA’s team for the design and construction of the new Gateway space station, which will orbit the moon to support missions to the lunar surface. 

In 2022, Gerst supported the selection of a new group of European astronauts. The ESA astronaut class of 2022 began their basic training at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne in April 2023. 

Since March 2023, Gerst has led the Astronaut Operations department at the European Astronaut Center. In addition to leading the new astronaut group, his responsibilities include providing logistical and operational support for future ISS and lunar missions. As a geophysicist, he is particularly interested in the operational and scientific aspects of future lunar missions. 

In addition to his work at ESA, Alexander Gerst is an official ambassador for UNICEF. He has published two books about his space missions and shares his experiences with the public through regular presentations, appearances and TV documentaries. In his free time, he enjoys activities such as paragliding, mountain biking, hiking, climbing and scuba diving. 

Gerst has received several awards for his work, including the Grand Cross of Merit, one of the highest honours bestowed by the Federal Republic of Germany, the gold Humboldt Medal, the Senckenberg Award and, together with the crew of the International Space Station, the Westphalian Peace Prize.