How many times has Alexander Gerst been in space?

Gerst's first flight ran from May 28 to November 10, 2014, totaling 166 days in space. He worked as a flight engineer, handled hundreds of experiments and shared the station with colleagues from several countries. On October 7, 2014, he carried out a spacewalk together with NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman: the extravehicular activity lasted 6 hours and 13 minutes, during which both performed several tasks on the station's exterior structure. For Europe's space industry, the flight marked the return of a German astronaut after a long gap.

The second mission ran from June 6 to December 20, 2018, adding another 197 days. From October 3, 2018, until the end of the mission, Gerst commanded the station, becoming the second ESA astronaut to hold that role. Command does not involve formal authority over decisions made on the ground, but responsibility for operations, safety and cooperation on board, including the decision to halt work when something isn't functioning properly.

Two long-duration flights are already considered a typical career path for European astronauts. Training takes years, and the experience from the first stay increases the value of the second, which is why experienced crew members are deliberately reassigned. However, the number of slots remains limited: it depends on the share ESA contributes to operating the station. After Horizons, Gerst's work shifted more toward program and management duties; for now, no third flight is planned in the mission schedule.