ESA Astronaut Andreas Mogensen Undergoes Centrifuge Training for Huginn Mission

In preparation for his upcoming Huginn mission to the International Space Station, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen recently underwent centrifuge training. This training is crucial for astronauts to prepare their bodies for the high levels of acceleration, or g-forces, they experience during launch and reentry.

A centrifuge is a machine that uses force to move its contents away from a center or axis. During centrifuge training, astronauts learn to withstand and operate under these g-forces. For Andreas, the training focused on experiencing the acceleration profile during ascent and reentry of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endurance, the vehicle that will take him to and from the International Space Station.

Each training session lasts approximately 45 minutes and covers a variety of profiles. The session begins with an ascent and reentry profile, followed by an abort profile. This allows the astronauts to familiarize themselves with what to expect during these critical phases of the mission.

Andreas has been selected to launch on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission alongside Commander NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, mission specialist and JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and mission specialist and Roscosmos astronaut Konstantin Borisov. Andreas will serve as the spacecraft pilot for the mission, making him the first non-US astronaut to be assigned this role. Additionally, he will become the Space Station commander during Expedition 70, making him the sixth European astronaut to fulfill this position.

This will be Andreas’ first long-duration mission, lasting six months, following his 10-day ‘iriss’ mission in September 2015. He is also Denmark’s first astronaut and has already accumulated a total of 9 days, 20 hours, and 9 minutes in space.

Andreas’ Huginn mission is an important step in his career as an astronaut and will contribute to the ongoing research and exploration efforts on the International Space Station.