To be the First German Woman to Fly into Space

In the current episode of the science podcast “Forsch! – Science in Conversation” Insa Thiele-Eich is a guest. As an aspiring astronaut, she is training for her flight to the International Space Station ISS. In the interview, she talks about the role a multi-day cave hike played in this, why being average qualifies you for space better than being a gifted individual, and whether there is anything that could dissuade her from this historic flight.

A Familiar Face

Insa Thiele-Eich is already known to some Braunschweig residents: At the end of September, she visited Braunschweig and gave a lecture at the invitation of the Braunschweigische Stiftung and the Institute for Space Systems about everyday life between space training, family, and local politics.

There is No Guarantee

In the podcast, she makes it clear how regrettable she finds her pioneering status as the potential first German woman in space: “We currently have six German women who have been selected, who have been trained, and some of whom have already completed their training, and none of them have ever flown.” In contrast, there are twelve men, all of whom have already been in space. “If you put that side by side, you have questions.” Insa Thiele-Eich is supported in her project by the “First German Astronaut” foundation. However, there is no guarantee for her launch into space: “Something could still happen to my health, be it in training or simply in the waiting process.” And experiences from previous spaceflights have shown that the waiting time can be long. She experienced this herself using the example of her father, where there were over ten years between the selection process and the rocket launch. In this episode, the potential astronaut reports on what she still has to cope with during this time, what a simulated rocket launch feels like, and what accident factor humans account for. At the end of the conversation, she gives a very personal piece of advice on the question of how we can realistically reflect on our dreams. The podcast “Forsch! – Science in Conversation” is a cooperation between the ForschungRegion Braunschweig and the Braunschweiger Zeitung. The moderators from ForschungRegion and Braunschweiger Zeitung talk to actors from the region about their research, their person – and about current social, political and ethical questions and debates. Now directly Click here to listen or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Deezer stream.