German astronaut team

The German astronaut team was established in 1987. Before the establishment of the team German astronauts were selected for single missions, or as part of the European Space Agency's manned spaceflight activities.

In 1998, the team became part of the European Astronaut Corps.

In 1976, East Germany selected Sigmund Jähn and Eberhard Köllner as the participants of Intercosmos missions to the Soviet Salyut 6 space station. Jähn flew in 1978 on Soyuz 31.

In 1978, the ESA selected a first group of astronauts to fly on the Space Shuttle on Spacelab missions. Among this first group was Ulf Merbold, who then also flew the first Spacelab mission STS-9. In the second ESA selection 1992 Thomas Reiter was selected.

For the first German sponsored Spacelab mission D-1, Reinhard Furrer and Ernst Messerschmid were selected in 1983. Both flew again on STS-61-A in 1985.

The astronaut team was established in 1987, as part of the preparation for the second German-sponsored Spacelab mission, D-2.

The team initially consisted of 5 astronaut candidates:

For a German mission to the space station Mir, two cosmonauts were selected in 1990, and added to the German team:

Flaede flew on Soyuz TM-14 in 1992. Schlegel and Walter flew on STS-55 in 1993. Ewald flew on a second Mir mission on Soyuz TM-25 in February 1997. Brümmer and Walpot did not fly on any missions.

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