We also had to bring with us some desired scientific equipment over to the station as well as assemble new machines. For that, I had to conduct two space walks.

The student develops an analytical as well as finely blended character. He is able to choose from a wide variety of job fields from which to embrace a career, without having to be a specialist in one particular discipline.

It's only when you're flying above it that you realize how incredible the Earth really is

And everything stopped quite rapidly because I knew that nobody in Europe was able to go to space. It was the privilege of being either American or Russian.

Polytechnique is a school whose multi disciplinary, very high scientific level curriculum is invaluable.

I think that witnessing ecological problems visible from space is one of the new and essential roles of astronauts

So, it takes a lot of chance and luck. I mean I was lucky enough to get in the program where people with the same skills never made it to the program. So keep trying.