Astronaut-- it sounds like a childhood dream.

We astronauts have a big boy inside. Since that happy childhood in Biarritz, the boy who, with his eyes of 10-12 years, saw Americans posing on the moon, is very much alive in me. This is where the worm for this profession was born, and although I knew that the possibilities of being an astronaut were scarce, both in my studies and in my military career I have always had this intention stuck in my head. I was an elite army pilot, and I considered the leap into space as a logical continuation. At one time or another in life, every human being has the dream of stepping out of the atmosphere and rounding around the Earth. Our work, however, goes far beyond this magical and fanciful vision. We live immersed in the technical activities that lead to the incorporation of research. We focus on the development of scientific research. Sometimes we can be subjects of experiments in physiological areas of different sciences, sometimes we are mere operators. These are works of immense difficulty, which must be carried out in detail and form, without fail.

What is the astronaut’s diary?

When we're on Earth, it's highly variable. When they promise us a mission and schedule a trip to space, training increases. As the flight approaches, we’re fine-tuning every training phase, deepening to the last thread of ongoing training on all aspects of the mission. When we don’t have a mission, we collaborate with engineers who are on the trail of Taigabe’s advances, bringing our experience and working manners. An astronaut must understand that he is the strategic link in a long chain. You have to pass constant tests and tests, you have to always be on top proving that you are capable of doing things at will. In fact, the system we are dealing with on Earth may be immense, but once we have climbed into space we are not able to install it, start it up and check that it works properly, the whole chain is interrupted. The chain that has been stretching for years loses all its meaning. In our country, mistakes are unforgivable.

Don’t we live in a society that is less and less interested in science?

Yes and no. As an astronaut, when it comes to showing what we’ve done, people’s attention and fascination is often obvious. This being so, it is true that, especially in Europe, there is a great deal of doubt about investing in space research. As in other matters, here too the interest of society and the generosity of politicians and investors are disconnected, because although it is relative to say that we lack powers, it is clear that we depend on political will. For example, the European Space Agency accounts for only 8% of the International Space Station budget. The Americans and Russians invest much more, even the Japanese. Europe has the means to become a more significant partner, but it shows no interest in the other world, and as a result, we are far from the heart of the system. I hope that the intentions that we will develop in the future will be indispensable in space research. This will only put us in a strategic position. We don’t have anything else, we are forced to cover the lack of sosa with talent.

Is healthy cooperation possible between states with such different political interests?

The example of the International Station is exemplary in this regard. In addition to being both technically and scientifically successful, it has become a symbol of cooperation. The construction started in 1998 will take place this year, during which no problems have arisen between States in terms of both construction and use. All the participants have fulfilled the commitments agreed and the doubt of initiation has silenced the times. Looking to the future, it can be the first solid stone, because everyone has realized that the future is based on cooperation between states. For example, all the projects that are being designed for the coming decades are being defined in international conferences, and this competitive and political passion for reaching the goal before the neighborhood has ended. This does not mean that everyone within the cooperation does not want to make their own place and keep it. Everyone wants to have a strategic role, but today, there is no country that will start only in exploratory work beyond orbit. The participants of the International Station represent the future together.

What are we looking for in space?

Astronauts do everything. We aim to develop the means to live, travel and work in space. The incredible environmental conditions offered by the space allow investigations to be carried out in exclusive parameters. I don’t know when, probably much later than we think, but the day will come when man will live in an environment other than Earth. It’s not that we go to America centuries ago to build a new world, it’s much more complex than that. We must not forget that for many years now we are the first link in what will be called the exploration of the solar system. We are in the era of ‘The Stones’ in space exploration. We're still in Earth's orbit, and although the media we have are huge, they're as archaic as they are rudimentary if measured on the scale of the solar system. There is no way to travel beyond Earth's orbit or deep into space. We live the illusions of initiation and we live the illusions of initiation.

What does the Earth look like from space?

It's quite an amazing sight, it's rare. We are out of the atmosphere, we make the Earth’s turn for an hour and a half, we give it a turn fifteen times a day, we see it light fifteen times a day, we see it light fifteen times a night, we can embrace a horizon of 2,500 kilometers... It's a terrible thing. However, mine is a superficial point of view, and those who reached the moon would describe to you a very different view, because the Earth came to fit in the window of their spaceship. When you experience this situation you consider it a terrible and emotional moment, but you are also constantly imagining what you would see if you went further. Maybe the time will come when we go and leave, when we won't see the Earth. This would change everything, both visually and psychologically. Today, even in orbit, the Earth is very present, you have the feeling of being very close to it, you do not have the loneliness and suffocation of the galleys that would imply going further. Even now, it seems surprising and magical to cross the continents in a few minutes or to pass from winter to summer in several seconds.

Why does magic disappear from the eyes of man once the goals are fulfilled? He looked at the moon a lot more before he got there.

This is the look of society. If you interviewed those who were on the moon, you would realize that it is a wonderful adventure for them that they would like to repeat and that they probably look at the moon like no one else and more than anyone else. Whoever participates in any space project has emotional traces left forever. These are moments so intense, motivating and full of passion. It is true, however, that the news is as absorbing as it is oppressive, that the news goes as it comes, and that once it goes, few remember it. But those of us who are doing this know how much things cost, how much effort they require, and for us they do not lose importance. On the contrary. We always have a point of admiration for the past that allows us to maintain this magical illusion of what can be achieved in the future. We don't get tired, we're insatiable.

But aren’t you doomed to perform “miracles” to awaken the interest of the media? How does this condition your work?

We make efforts and two to disseminate our work, but it is true that ours is not a topic that appears every day in the news. Let’s not fool ourselves, we only get headlines with an unusual event or terrible accidents that will be a milestone in history. It is a shame, because the lack of interest in the press has a direct bearing on the financing of our activities. If we had a daily presence in the media, as in the time of Apollo, politicians would offer us other media. What happens is that our projects are usually ten to twenty years old and there is no longer a political and economic vision of such a long period. Politicians are only interested in what they can capitalize on, and in times of crisis, excuses shine on their teeth. It’s a shame because we don’t need a disproportionate amount of money, and even though we are drowning in the present, it means investing our breath in the future. Over the last ten years, we have spent one euro per year per European inhabitant for the International Station. Let every one who is much or little think, but there are not few areas in which larger sums of money are spent more shamelessly. It’s all a witch’s wheel and it’s hard to change the direction of the wheel and take it where you want it to be. You can try to explain to the politicians of your country what they are going to do in other countries, and there are not a few who want to get on the bandwagon because they don’t stay behind, but ours is a work of vision, you have to work on intentions very early, and in many cases, by the time you convince the politicians it is too late.

Those who don’t have to be convinced are the rich who are willing to pay for the money to go to space. What do they give you to think?

In the beginning, the news catches you out of the game, but what needs to be analyzed is why the Russians have opened the doors of their spaceship to those who are willing to pay. The industrial expenses of the Russians are much lower than ours, and although the investment of the tourist willing to put these sums would be a drop in the sea for us, it is a significant part of the cake for the Russians. This has allowed them to leave behind all the difficulties they have experienced in the 90’s and stay on top of the point. On top of that, and even if it seems that way when reading the news, let it be clear that these aberaskiles are not some capricious crazies or typical characters of the jet set. No, they are people with a scientific base, very motivated, and once they go into space, they do experiments according to their powers. I find it difficult to follow that trend. All flights in the coming years are reserved for scientists, the Russians will not be able to continue selling these missions, and with the costs rising, it is likely that even the richest will not be able to afford them.

You've been in space twice. Are you planning on coming back?

Like the first Niotsun, Europe has relatively little participation in the International Station, and the number of flights available to us depends on it. In addition, we have recently recruited and prioritized six new astronauts. This means that, on the next six flights, I don’t actually get it, and since that takes us to 2020, I’ll retire without going back to space in principle. But who knows, I'm in the active corpus of astronauts, and I can accommodate a mission at any time. I am currently monitoring flights from Earth and I am deeply involved in the design of prospective projects. I do not pleinate for my luck, I have had two wonderful missions, the incredible honor of installing and inaugurating the European module of the Columbus International Station, and few more have fulfilled my dreams. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to go back, but I know that there is also a task and a way to cultivate the future from Earth.