The first German astronaut was Sigmund Jaehn from the GDR, who flew into space under the Intercosmos program on the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1978. The first astronaut from the BRD was Ulf Merbold, who flew into space on the Columbia shuttle STS-9 in 1983. Later (in 1994) Merbold also flew on the Russian Soyuz TM-20. After the merger of Germany, the country's astronauts began flying on both Russian Soyuz and American shuttles. Germany, through the European Space Agency, is participating in the International Space Station project.

Ulf Merbold was the first German astronaut to make a second and third space flight. Ulf Merbold is the only German astronaut to make three space flights, three others - two flights each.

Thomas Reiter was the first German astronaut to perform a spacewalk in 1995. Four German astronauts have performed spacewalks. Thomas Reiter performed two spacewalks in Russian spacesuits and one in an American one. All other spacewalks were in American spacesuits. Thomas Reiter performed three spacewalks (the most among German astronauts) with a total duration of 14 hours and 11 minutes.

The longest space flight among German astronauts was made by Alexander Gerst - 196 days 17 hours 49 minutes (4721 h 49 m). Alexander Gerst also has the longest total space flight time among German astronauts - 362 days 1 hour 50 minutes (8689 h 50 m)

A total of 12 German astronauts have completed 19 space flights: 4 of them on Russian (USSR) Soyuz spacecraft, 14 on shuttles and one on the US SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

List of German astronauts.
Astronauts of Germany
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Sigmund Jähn

(Sigmund Werner Paul Jähn)
  • Birthdate: February 13, 1937
  • Deathdate: September 21, 2019
  • Flights:
    1. June 24 – July 2, 1982 on Soyuz 31(mission to Salyut-6)
      Role: Research cosmonaut
  • The flight included docking with Salyut-6
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Ulf Merbold

(Ulf Dietrich Merbold)
  • Date of birth: June 20, 1941
  • Flights:
    1. November 28 – December 8, 1983 on the shuttle Columbia (mission STS-9)
      Role: Payload Specialist
    2. January 22–30, 1992 on Space Shuttle Discovery (mission STS-42)
      Role: Payload Specialist
    3. May 27–December 8, 2009 on Soyuz TM-20 (mission to the Mir station)
      Role: Research Cosmonaut
  • The third flight included docking with the station "Mir"
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Reinhard Furrer

(Reinhard Alfred Furrer)
  • Birthdate: November 25, 1940
  • Deathdate: September 9, 1995
  • Flights:
    1. October 30 – November 6, 1985 on the shuttle Challenger (mission STS-61A)
      Role: Payload Specialist
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Ernst Messerschmid

(Ernst Willi Messerschmid)
  • Birthdate: May 21, 1945
  • Flights:
    1. October 30 – November 6, 1985 on the shuttle Challenger (mission STS-61A)
      Role: Payload Specialist
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Klaus-Dietrich Flade

(Klaus-Dietrich Flade)
  • Birthdate: August 23, 1952
  • Flying:
    1. March 17 – 25, 1992 at "Soyuz TM-14» (mission to the «Mir» station)
      Role: Research cosmonaut
  • The flight included docking with the Mir station
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Ulrich Walter

(Ulrich Hans Walter)
  • Birthdate: February 9, 1954
  • Flights:
    1. April 26 – May 6, 1993 on the shuttle Columbia (mission STS-55)
      Role: Payload Specialist
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Hans Schlegel

(Hans Wilhelm Schlegel)
  • Birthdate: August 03, 1951
  • Flights:
    1. April 26 – May 6, 1993 on the shuttle Columbia (mission STS-55)
      Role: Payload Specialist
    2. February 7 – 20, 2008 on the shuttle Atlantis (mission STS-122/ISS)
      Role: Mission Specialist
  • Participation in the ISS: Second flight included docking with the ISS
  • Spacewalks:
    • Completed 1 spacewalk lasting 6 hours 45 minutes
    • The spacewalk was performed in American EMU spacesuits
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Thomas Reiter

(Thomas Arthur Reiter)
  • Birthdate: May 23, 1958
  • Flights:
    1. September 3, 1995 – February 29, 1996 on «Soyuz TM-22» (mission to the Mir station)
      Role: Research cosmonaut
    2. July 7 – December 22, 2006 on the shuttle Discovery (mission STS-121/ISS-13/14)
      Role: Mission specialist
  • The first flight included a long stay on the Mir station,
    the second flight included a long stay on the ISS
  • Spacewalks:
    • Completed 3 spacewalks totaling lasting 14 hours 11 minutes
    • Two exits in Russian Sokol spacesuits and one in an American EMU spacesuit
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Reinhold Ewald

(Reinhold Ewald)
  • Birthdate: December 18, 1956
  • Flights:
    1. February 10 – March 2, 1997 on Soyuz TM-25 (mission to station «Mir»)
      Role: Research cosmonaut
  • The flight included docking with the Mir station
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Gerhard Thiele

(Gerhard Paul Julius Thiele)
  • Birthdate: September 2, 1952
  • Flights:
    1. February 11–22, 2000 on the shuttle Endeavour (mission STS-99)
      Role: Mission Specialist
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Alexander Gerst

(Alexander Gerst)
  • Birthdate: May 3, 1976
  • Flights:
    1. May 28 – November 10, 2014 on Soyuz TMA-13M
      (missions 40/41)
      Role: Flight Engineer
    2. June 6 – December 20, 2018 on Soyuz MS-09
      (missions 56/57)
      Role: Flight Engineer
  • Participation in the ISS: Both flights included a long stay on the ISS
  • Spacewalks:
    • Completed 1 spacewalk lasting 6 hours 13 minutes
    • The exit was performed in the American EMU spacesuit
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Matthias Maurer

(Matthias Maurer)
  • Birthdate: March 18, 1970
  • Flights:
    1. June 6 – December 20, 2018 on «Dragon Endurance» (missions 66/67)
      Role: Flight Engineer
  • Participation in the ISS: The flight included a long stay on the ISS
  • Spacewalks:
    • Completed 1 walk lasting 6 hours 54 minutes
    • The walk was performed in the American EMU spacesuit
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