European Missions to the International Space Station 2013 to 2019

The European Space Agency has a long history of human spaceflight, working with both NASA and the Soviet/Russian space agencies over the years. This book tells the story of the ESA astronauts who have visited the International Space Station and their contributions to its development and success.

For example, ESA built the Columbus science laboratory, as well as the Cupola, the Leonardo PMM and the ATV supply ship. But it is the human endeavor that captures the imagination. From brief visits to six-month expeditions and spacewalking to commanding Earth’s only outpost in space and doing experiments, ESA astronauts – whose personal stories are also told – have played a vital role in the international project. Many of their efforts are documented in photographs in the book.

In following up on the missions covered in this author’s earlier title, In the Footsteps of Columbus (2016), this book highlights European missions from the 2013 Volare mission of Luca Parmitano to his 2019 Beyond mission and includes first flights for Alexander Gerst, Samantha Cristoforetti, Andreas Mogensen, Tim Peake, and Thomas Pesquet.

John O’Sullivan BE, BSc(Hons), Dip PM, CEng MIEI, PMP, FSP,CMSE® studied Electrical Engineering at University College Cork. He has over 20 years’ experience in the automation and control sector delivering solutions to the life-science industry in Ireland. He is a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland, a Project Management Professional with the Project Management Institute and a certified Functional Safety Professional. He has always had a fascination with aviation and space, leading him to gain his PPL in 2003 and to study Astronomy and Planetary Science with the Open University. In 2017, he was awarded a Degree in Astronomy and Planetary Science by the OU, in addition to receiving a Diploma in Project Management from the Cork Institute of Technology in 2016.

His earlier book, In the Footsteps of Columbus, European Missions to the International Space Station, was published in 2016. He has also had several articles published in BIS Spaceflight magazine and in Ireland’s Engineers journal. He lives in East Cork with his wife and daughter.