The European Space Agency is looking to have more women and people with disabilities in space. The ESA said it was "blown away" by the number and diversity of applicants who want to become next-generation space travelers.
The agency said it received more than 22,000 applications, which included more women than ever and more than 200 applications from people with disabilities. The results of its latest recruitment drive were released late Wednesday.
"We've all been astonished. It's a very strong expression of interest and enthusiasm that people have across Europe for space," ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said.
The ESA said it still has a lot of work to do to achieve its goal of having more diversity in its space programs. However, the agency said it is slowly getting there as women applicants have grown significantly compared with previous recruitment drives.
Since it was established, the ESA has only sent two women into space - Astronauts Claudie Haigneré and Samantha Cristoforetti. The agency said it wants to increase that number in the coming years.
Based on the results, female applicants for its latest drive rose to 24% compared with just 15% from its last recruitment drive in 2008. While the hiring campaign had somewhat addressed gender balance concerns, it didn't specifically address ethnic diversity.
The ESA said it is working to have a team that represents "all parts of society." Applications for the latest recruitment drive came from all 25 member nations and associate members but most had come from traditionally active countries such as Germany, France, the UK and Italy.
The ESA said it will be selecting one or two people with physical disabilities for future space missions. The agency said it aims to study the adaptations and modifications necessary to space stations to accommodate those with disabilities.
The ESA is expected to select up to only six people out of the 22,000 applications during this year's hiring drive. They will be added to the reserve team of 20 astronauts. All new candidates will need to undergo intensive screening over the next year before they are officially selected for the agency's space programs.
