German Astronaut Alexander Gerst says he aims to be a “nice boss” when he becomes the $100 billion International Space Station’s first German commander later this year. Gerst is returning to the ISS as commander in June.
“I’m relatively relaxed because things will be much easier for me now, on my second flight. I already know what is important and what isn’t. I know I can do it,” Gerst said Tuesday in his last news conference before the flight.
Gerst's first time in space was for the Blue Dot mission, when he spent six months between May and November 2014 at the International Space Station (ISS).
His training started in March 2016 — before it was decided Gerst would take command of the ISS in two year's time and become the first German astronaut to do so.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, then said it's significant to have "a man like Alexander Gerst" as our "ambassador" in space.
Gerst begins a new six-month mission in June, along with Russian cosmonaut Sergei Prokopyev and US astronaut Serena Aunon-Chancellor, and from September will command the multinational crew.
That will make him the second European commander in the 17 years the ISS been occupied, after Belgian Frank De Winne in 2009.
“On the space station it is important that you are a nice boss,” Gerst said. “My main task is to make sure that there’s good communication, that everyone is happy and that everyone has what he needs and isn’t overworked or bored.”
Eleven European countries participate in the ISS through the European Space Agency, together with the United States, Russia, Japan and Canada.
