posted 02-02-2017 01:38 PM               

ESA selects German engineer to join 2009 astronaut class, eight years later

A German engineer has been named to the European Space Agency's (ESA) astronaut class — of 2009.

Eight years ago, Matthias Maurer finished as one of the 10 finalists for Europe's astronaut corps, but was passed over for the 2009 class. Now, after the six candidates who were chosen have each made one spaceflight and are in line for a second, Maurer has begun his training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne.