Post by Daniel Neuenschwander

A little message from Space for International Women’s Day! 🌟 Our ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot took extra time out of her day to record this and share her inspiring journey. From the dream of a teenager to a record-breaking career; from a young Sophie inspired by the launch of Claudie Haigneré to the incredible smile of an astronaut entering the International Space Station… And a simple “secret” which helped her on this path: to believe and dare. Her journey took her to environments with a vast majority of men, but rather than questioning her own legitimacy or wonder if she was in the right place, she simply kept on going. She did not ask herself if she could be as good as her fellow coworkers, she simply kept challenging herself to become a better professional and individual. The end-goal was not the recognition of others but her own development. As a father of a young women, I can only hope that this mindset will help and inspire girls to never doubt themselves because of their gender. As a director at the European Space Agency - ESA, I humbly acknowledge the incredibly talented women working in our agency... Our Chief exploration scientist, Angelique Van Ombergen or Julia Weis, Team leader for LEO and suborbital utilisation; our Lunar project group leader, Sara Pastor or Luisella Giulicchi, Team leader for Gateway; Valerie Zinck-Dasmien, who oversees the relations with our international stakeholders or Bimba Hoyer, the flight-surgeon supporting Sophie and her mission. Carmen Diener, our executive assistant or Cyrielle Bouju, responsible for our communication. I could mention hundreds more… From interns to senior employees, we rely every day on the talents and know-how of women performing in various fields. They come from different countries and have various backgrounds, but they all bring the passion and qualities turning them into exceptionals performers and professionals. Sophie Adenot, as one of our ambassadors, naturally helps promoting women in STEM. But I can also ensure you that, day after day, I see the ones already working in our ecosystem, helping us take Space Exploration to the new frontier. 🚀   #IWD2026 #WomenInSTEM #WomenInScience Centre National d'Études Spatiales Airbus Defence and Space Armée de l’air et de l’espace

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