This week ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen continued the tradition started by ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer for his Cosmic Kiss mission in 2021: European astronauts are planting a tree in front of the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany.

In front of colleagues, Andreas planted his tree as his Huginn mission starts later this summer. Together with his tree stands a small plaque with the Huginn mission patch and an explanation of the SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle and the two ISS expeditions Andreas will be a part of: 69 and 70.

Andreas’s tree is an American sweetgum., Its leaves will turn a reddish colour in autumn when Andreas is on the Space Station – a colour that resembles the colour of the Huginn patch. The tree needs minimal watering and a good amount of sunlight, the southern-facing location in front of EAC is perfectly suited for the American sweetgum.

The event started with group leader for Low Earth Orbit Exploration and former ESA astronaut Frank De Winne giving a speech about Andreas and wishing him a safe journey to the Space Station. The planting of the tree symbolises the astronaut’s connection to Earth and like the trees on ground, they will grow with their mission to space.

After Andreas had planted his tree, fellow classmates Samantha Cristoforetti and Alexander Gerst also planted a tree each in front of EAC, for their Minerva and Horizons missions.

Everybody then gathered in EAC for cake and celebration, since it was also Andreas’s last day at EAC before he goes for his final training in USA. More spaceflight traditions await Andreas as he takes on the role of pilot for Crew-7, sitting next to NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, who will be commander of Crew-7.

You can follow Andreas’s mission on the Huginn page