Mrs Simonetta Di Pippo, ESA Director of Human Spaceflight and the six individuals who will become Europe's new astronauts were presented at a press conference held at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France, on 20 May 2009. The new recruits will join the European Astronaut Corps and start their training to prepare for future missions to the International Space Station, and beyond.

From left to right: Luca Parmitano, Timothy Peake, Thomas Pesquet, Simonetta Di Pippo, Andreas Mogensen, Samantha Cristoforetti, Alexander Gerst.