"It's Pablo Álvarez! It's Pablo Álvarez, the astronaut!" shout some ten-year-old children who are visiting the European Space Agency (ESA) facilities in Villafranca del Castillo (Madrid). The kids surround the 34-year-old, almost 1.90 m tall native of León, while he poses for a photo with them all, his ever-present smile on his face. The smile hasn't seemed to have disappeared since at least November 23rd, when it was announced that he, along with Sara García, also from León, were part of the new batch of European astronauts called to experience, among other things, the "reconquest" of the Moon. Four months later, Álvarez is preparing to move to Cologne (Germany), where he will undergo final training starting in April to confirm his readiness to go into space. Between engagements, he chats with ABC about his hectic last year, his space aspirations, Mars and humanity's plans to visit it, and the advice he's received from Pedro Duque, who, he confesses, influenced him when he was little. How has your life changed since the announcement? It has changed a bit. You get used to people stopping you on the street, although it's not an exaggeration. In general, I'm very happy and eager to begin training in Cologne. You've left your job at Airbus and are now starting a new life. Do you know what awaits you? I know it will be quite intense; we'll have to catch up on a lot of knowledge about the International Space Station (ISS) and its procedures. We also have to learn Russian, starting from scratch. Before going to Cologne, I'm going to take a scuba diving course because from day one we'll also be in the pool for extravehicular activity training. And I suppose there will also be some parabolic flights to experience zero-gravity conditions and a survival course. - It sounds very demanding, at least physically. Are you preparing in any special way? - Actually, I haven't done anything outside of what I've already been doing. The process has been very, very hard, and I think I needed a couple of months to stop. Plus, I've been busy with media, events, and so on, apart from work, so I haven't had much time either. - In your case, was astronautdom born or made along the way? - I think we've all wanted to be astronauts at some point in our childhood. I studied aeronautical engineering, but not focused on being an astronaut, because I saw it as unattainable. In fact, I think if you set your sole goal to be an astronaut, it's very possible you won't achieve it, and you'll end up very frustrated, because it's very difficult. But, on the other hand, when I saw that the call had opened for applications for the first time in 12 years, I thought I had nothing to lose by trying. The only way to ensure I didn't have any opportunities to be an astronaut was to not apply. And I prepared the CV, the cover letter, and the application form with a level of care I don't think I've ever put into anything in my life. I asked a bunch of friends to read it, to double-check every comma. And then I gave it my all, I put in a lot of effort during the process. And when you see that from 22,500 people you go to 1,500, then 450, 50... then you start to think, why not? When was that moment? During the medical tests, in the fourth phase, there were about 100 of us. They measured our leg width, our waist... I asked what all those measurements were for, and they told me it was to check we'd fit in the seats in the capsule. At that point, I thought things were getting serious. Were there people rejected for not fitting in the spacecraft? Someone was eliminated from the process because our height limit was 1.90 meters. So, if you were 1.91m tall, you were out. They also measured your thighs with your legs together to see if you'd fit in the seat, and I was only a centimeter too tall, which means I'm quite tall to be an astronaut. How did they tell you that you were one of the 17 chosen? They notified us twelve days in advance that we were part of the selection, but they didn't tell us if we were in the alternate or career group. We found out two hours before the public announcement on November 23rd. After that, we traveled to Paris from a hotel we had on the outskirts and signed the contract right there, just before the announcement. Your surprise was even greater because you applied to be a parastronaut due to a minor disability. Yes, I initially applied to be a parastronaut because I thought it would be a little easier and that there would be fewer of us. My left foot doesn't have full mobility, but the truth is, it's never stopped me from doing anything. And since all the processes were equivalent, we all took the same tests. No one told me they'd changed the process at any point until two hours before the announcement. How do you remember that moment? They told me they had to have recorded my face. I didn't expect that. In the end, they decided my problem wasn't a limitation. We have the image of the archetypal astronaut from the 1960s: pilots, in perfect health... Fortunately, the range of profiles is increasingly expanding. Besides, what I have wouldn't be an obstacle, not even in an emergency situation where I have to run. I've done half marathons, triathlons, I play soccer... Your father said in an interview that you secretly signed up for all kinds of sports. Yes. There was a year when I was signed up for athletics and indoor soccer; and during my downtime, I trained with the older kids on the track. Every day I did four hours of sports in the afternoons, and the weekends were crazy, because I had table tennis matches, indoor soccer, athletics races... And in the free time I had left, I was a junior indoor soccer referee. I never stopped. Table tennis was the one I've been most serious about. I played professionally until I was 20. I even competed in a couple of international tournaments. But then I went to Poland and started traveling more. Did you live in Poland? I went on Erasmus the year that coincided with the end of my technical engineering degree that year, and they offered me the opportunity to do a master's degree there. Afterwards, I lived in England for six years at different stages and also in France for a little over a year. How many languages do you speak? Well, well, I don't think any (laughs). Spanish, English, French, and Polish, although I'm a little more rusty on the last two. Now I have to learn Russian, to talk to my colleagues at the ISS, and German, because I'm going to live in Cologne. -Despite the toughness of the tests, you've all gotten along really well, haven't you? -I think there are WhatsApp groups for all the phases. Also one of the 17 final candidates. There's one for Spaniards, with about 60 of us. That's a very active group where many projects are emerging. I've met some of them, and they're incredible people. I remember one day a girl was looking for volunteers to test a pill for motion sickness during a parabolic flight. All the places were taken in ten minutes. And you can get the placebo and have a rough time... -What's your relationship like with Sara García, the other Spanish candidate chosen? -Despite both being from León, we didn't meet until we entered the process, although that was relatively early on. We met many times; we've gotten along very well from the beginning, and on top of that, we have many friends in common. Plus, we went through the entire selection process together, and that brings us together a lot. I talk to her every day. She's a wonderful colleague. -What are your conversations about? -We have a shared calendar, so we usually talk about what we have to do that day. And you always get some strange request that you mention, that you don't expect, like being called to give the opening speech of some lost town or participate in a cooking show. There have even been requests to participate in an erotic podcast... Related News: Women's and Girls' Day in Science standard Yes Sara García Alonso, astronaut: "I'd rather cure just one person's cancer than go to the Moon" Judith de Jorge The life of this young biotechnologist at the CNIO took an unexpected turn last November when she was chosen as an astronaut in the European Space Agency (ESA) reserve. She combines the search for a drug to combat tumors while studying astrophysics and practicing martial arts. "I'm up for a bombing," she admits. -Have you met other astronauts? -We've met everyone from the previous generation except Andreas Mogensen, who is training in Houston for his next mission. They've welcomed us really well, like colleagues, giving us all kinds of advice. They've told us the good and not-so-good things about being an astronaut, as if they were some kind of "parents." They're really protecting us and taking great care of us. What advice have they given you and what have they warned you about? They've prepared us a little for what's coming, which could be quite tough. For example, balancing family life is going to be difficult because our work requires us to travel a lot, we might be at events until late, or have an event in another country and have to wait until we have little notice. They've also given us advice on how to manage sudden fame, and how to keep our old friends close. Have you met Pedro Duque? Yes, and he's given us advice on how to manage the press, political events... Also about training and how to deal with it. I think no one understands what we're going through better than he does, so our conversations have been very productive. As a child, he impressed me greatly: I was nine or ten years old on his first mission, and it's something that leaves its mark on you. I haven't met Michael López-Alegría yet, but I hope to have the opportunity soon. I'd love to receive advice and learn from him. -Now you are the role models, how do you face this challenge? -It's an incredible part that can fulfill you as much or more than the rest of your facets. It's important to convey to the new generations that they don't think that an engineer or a scientist is a laboratory rat, who dedicates himself to boring or complicated things. Perhaps astronauts are a rather special case, because although we usually come from the research field, in the end we participate in launches, which are very spectacular, dangerous, and attract attention. But I would like society to have more role models in the scientific field. -Speaking of the part where they launch you into space in a rocket, how do you feel when you think that you will be there one day? -In this, I have gradually changed the way of thinking I had two years ago. The other day I watched the Apollo 11 documentary, and the moment they boarded the spacecraft, I felt a strange feeling in my stomach. I thought, "Watch out, this is going to happen to me too..." It's always been something I've viewed with great respect, but as the selection phases progressed, the desire grew. It's like the next goal: finish training, get approved for a mission, and fly. I think that, since I'm going to think and prepare so much for that moment, when it arrives, it will be something like just another day at the office. Although I think that once I take off and am on the space station, I'll realize where I really am. - Also, very exciting times are coming in space exploration: returning to the Moon, permanent bases there... Do you see yourself walking on our satellite? - I get goosebumps when I think about that. It's difficult, because at the moment the ESA only has three seats assigned in the Artemis Program, and in principle they will be for astronauts who have already flown to the ISS and who have experience. They won't let us "novices" go on these types of missions, I suppose. But we have to keep the flame of hope alive (he says with a huge smile). In the long term, why not? MORE INFORMATION news Yes Andrés Martínez, of NASA: "I wouldn't choose the Moon for my vacation, but I understand why some people want to go" news No The daisy that offers fake sex to obtain pollen -The next objective to conquer is Mars. -It would be a dream to be able to go, but scientifically and technologically it's still a long way off. It's a long journey, and we need to learn a lot about, for example, how our bodies respond to radiation. We would also need more specialists, because if any problem arises on the ISS or on the Moon, you can return in a matter of days. But for the trip to Mars, we're talking months, and that's at its optimal approach point. Furthermore, the further away from Earth, the more complicated communications become, and the delays are. We need to make crews more autonomous. Besides, you need food, drink, and materials to survive. Maybe in the next generation of astronauts, although I hope I'm wrong.
