Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
King Philippe of Belgium’s was out of this world as he carried out a daring engagement.
On Wednesday, King Philippe was in Cologne to visit the European Astronaut Training Centre.
The Belgian king spent some time exploring what a space visit would be like, first by using virtual goggles to understand what he would see in space and then understanding the environment by exploring sand samples.
Frank de Winne, the director, gave King Philippe his tour; they were also able to spend time on the model of a spacecraft, and in the control centre.
In addition to chatting with other staff members, the Belgian king met Raphael Liégeois, a Belgian-Luxembourgish astronaut who is currently at the centre training for his mission to the International Space Station in 2026. The neuroscientist and engineer spoke with King Philippe about his experience so far and what he expects.
Raphael Liégeois and King Philippe had actually previously met at a 2022 reception at Laeken Castle after King Philippe advocated for his selection as an astronaut.
The centre is an important facility, as it is where many European astronauts will train before they make their journey into space. It allows them to experience the environments and weightlessness that they will experience once in space.