- Berliner hopes to fly into space soon
German researcher Rabea Rogge is optimistic that she will truly fly into space aboard a capsule of the US space company SpaceX. "I am very confident that it will work," said the 28-year-old from Berlin in an interview with the German Press Agency. Then she would be the first German woman in space.
What makes Rogge so hopeful: The project is fully funded, so there's no need to gather more money for the flight, she said. Commander of the three- to five-day mission to the polar regions is to be Chun Wang, who comes from China and has become rich with cryptocurrencies. In an interview with the US broadcaster CNBC, Wang said he had funded the mission. Neither he nor SpaceX said anything about the amount.
Rogge is currently training with the other three crew members in the US for the flight, which is scheduled to take off no earlier than the end of the year. The training confirms her hope that the flight will take place, she said. "What I've seen now, how SpaceX works: really very hard, very goal-oriented, very motivated." Of course, there can always be delays.
If it doesn't work out, she would of course be disappointed, said Rogge. "But I think you should always look at the next challenge." Besides, she has a lot of joy in her actual work, a doctorate on robotics in the Arctic.
Update from Rabea Rogge on X Updates from SpaceX Website of the mission
Rogge's training with SpaceX further boosts her confidence, as she observed their dedicated, goal-oriented approach. Despite potential delays, SpaceX will continue preparing for the flight, as indicated by updates on their website.
