Marcus Wandt Explained

Marcus Wandt
Type:ESA Project Astronaut
Nationality:Swedish, Norwegian[1]
Status:Active
Birth Date:22 September 1980
Birth Place:Mora, Sweden
Alma Mater:Chalmers University of Technology
Space Time:21d 15h 41m
Missions:Axiom-3
Footnotes:[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Marcus Wandt (born September 21, 1980) is a Swedish test pilot and member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group.[8] In January 2024, he became the third Swedish astronaut to visit space, after Christer Fuglesang and Jessica Meir.[9] [10]

Pre-ESA Career

From 2003 to 2014, Wandt was a fighter pilot in the Swedish Air Force, flying the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. In 2004, he joined the Swedish Air Force Flying Training School, where he received basic flight training. He received a master's degree in electrical engineering from Chalmers University of Technology in 2007. From 2013 to 2014, he trained at the United States Naval Test Pilot School where he graduated at the top of his class to become an experimental test pilot. In 2014 he joined SAAB Aeronautics as an experimental test pilot, before being promoted to chief test pilot and head of flight operations in 2020.

ESA career

Wandt credits his wife with discovering and showing him the ESA application.[11] ESA chose Marcus and 16 others, out of a total of approximately 22,500 applicants.[12] In November 2022, Wandt was chosen as a member of ESA class of reserve astronauts[13] and June 2023, ESA proposed Marcus Wandt for an upcoming flight from Axiom Mission 3.[14] As a consequence he transitioned from reserve to "project astronaut" status.

Wandt is the first of any of the 2022 ESA astronauts to undertake a mission,[15] and the fastest-trained astronaut in history; by contrast, Christer Fuglesang, the first Swede in space, flew 14 years after selection.[16] The mission was called "Muninn"[17] and coincides with the "Huginn" mission of Danish European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen aboard the International Space Station.[18] Huginn and Muninn are a pair of ravens in Norse mythology.

A total of, about with exchange rate at the time, has been invested in the mission.[19] Saab was the largest private investor in the mission.[20]

Swedish National Space Agency together with Swedish researchers provided a lot of suggestions for research to undertake in space during Wandt's mission. Research planned during the space mission included stem cell research led by Uppsala University and improved cognition research led by KTH Royal Institute of Technology.[21]

The Axiom Mission 3 took place 18 January 2024 to 9 February 2024 and included 18 days stay at International Space Station.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Svensknorsk astronaut klar for romstasjonen . 2024-01-15 . Norsk Romsenter . no.
  2. Web site: Astronauts: Marcus Wandt . European Space Agency . 2023-06-01 . 2023-12-31.
  3. Web site: Marcus Wandt . European Space Agency . 2023-10-10 . 2023-12-31.
  4. Web site: Marcus Wandt . Merinfo . 2023-12-31 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  5. Web site: Marcus Wandt i intensiv träning . Swedish National Space Agency. sv . 2023-12-31.
  6. Web site: Marcus Wandt . . 2023-12-31.
  7. Web site: Utbildning vid USNTPS . . 2014-06-28 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  8. Web site: Biographies of the ESA Reserve Astronauts: Marcus Wandt . 2023-06-09 . www.spacefacts.de.
  9. Web site: Astronauten Marcus Wandt blir näste svensk i rymden . . 2023-06-16 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  10. Web site: Muninn mission: ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt . European Space Agency . 2023-12-31.
  11. Web site: Radio . Sveriges . Han är Sveriges nya astronaut – frun tipsade om annonsen . . 2023-10-12 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  12. Web site: Nyheter . SVT . Marcus Wandt blir Sveriges nya astronaut: "Otroligt stolt" . SVT Nyheter . 2023-06-16 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  13. Web site: Marcus Wandt . 2023-06-09 . www.esa.int . en.
  14. Web site: 15 June 2023. 15 June 2023. en. N° 28–2023: ESA proposes Marcus Wandt from Sweden to fly on a future Axiom space mission. European space agency. .
  15. Web site: Marcus Wandt will fly to International Space Station on third Axiom Space mission . 2023-09-15 . www.esa.int . en.
  16. Web site: Campanello . Simon . Marcus Wandt: "Jag blir astronaut i rekordfart" . . 2023-12-31 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  17. Web site: 16 June 2023. 16 June 2023. en. Muninn mission patch and name. Agence spatiale européenne. .
  18. Web site: Robert Lea . 2023-06-20 . Swedish astronaut 'fast-tracked' to join crew of upcoming private Axiom Space mission . 2023-09-12 . Space.com . en.
  19. Web site: Nyheter . SVT . Marcus Wandt blir Sveriges nya astronaut: "Otroligt stolt" . SVT Nyheter . 2023-06-16 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  20. Web site: Saab-pilot nästa svensk i rymden . Affärsvärlden . 2023-06-17 . sv . 2023-12-31.
  21. Web site: Sveriges nya astronaut . . 2023-06-16 . sv . 2023-12-31.