Arnaud Prost is a French flight test engineer, military pilot, reserve astronaut and professional diver. He is a graduate of the prestigious École Polytechnique engineering school.
After working as a test diver for COMEX on an underwater training spacesuit, he graduated as a fighter pilot in the French Air and Space Force.
From 2020, he worked at the French defence procurement agency’s flight test centre in Istres on the Rafale fighter jet, focusing on air-to-air combat, human-machine interfaces and higher airspace operations.
Since 2023, he has served as an operational pilot and aircraft commander of the E-3F AWACS for the 36th Airborne Command and Control Wing.
Arnaud Prost was selected in November 2022 as a reserve astronaut by the European Space Agency (ESA). In 2024 and 2025, he completed ESA’s PANGAEA geology training for lunar and Martian exploration. He completed his basic astronaut reserve training (ART) in May 2026.
What is a reserve astronaut?
The European Space Agency (ESA) selected its first cadre of reserve astronauts in 2022. They may be called upon for training, projects or future space missions according to need, but do not work full time for the agency.
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ESA reserve astronaut Arnaud Prost (right) during intensive physical activities to complete his astronaut training. © ESA/V. Crobu -
© ESA/G. Zito -
© ESA/Trailhaven
