German European Space Agency astronaut and geophysicist who became the commander of the International Space Station in 2018. He was selected as an astronaut in 2009 by the European Space Agency and was part of the International Space Station Expedition 40 and 41 in 2014, and Expedition 56 and 57 in 2018.
He graduated from the University of Karlsruhe where he received a degree in geophysics. In 2003, he received a master's degree in earth science from the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.
He runs Alexander Gerst's Horizons Blog, a blog from space.
His parents are Brigitte and Hans-Dieter Gerst.
Ulf Merbold and Thomas Reiter are also astronauts from Germany.
