A few days before his departure for a second mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Thomas Pesquet agreed to share with Dive! his unique experience, at the crossroads of underwater training and life in zero gravity. The French astronaut highlights the similarities between diving, life in space, and the long training process that precedes each extravehicular mission.
Intensive pool training before joining the ISS
To prepare for the extravehicular activities (EVA) scheduled during this new expedition – four in total – Thomas Pesquet and his teammates train on specific scenarios. “We will distribute these outings among the crew members,” he explains. “We need to install new deployable solar panels, to be placed at the end of the station. Their deployment is an impressive moment, because mechanically, it is very complex.”
This training takes place mainly in a pool, with 9 to 10 sessions, each lasting between 6 and 7 hours. On the agenda: reviewing general procedures to handle major failures requiring an emergency exit, as well as training on the specific tasks of the mission, such as the handling and installation of 350 kg solar panels using the station’s robotic arm. A highly technical exercise made even more demanding by the simulation in technical diving.
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