Gwendolyn Pascua, an Igorota from Kalinga and Mountain Province could be the first-ever Cordilleran astronaut!
Mar 28, 2017 | 2 min read
Being an astronaut has been a goal for Cordilleran Gwendolyn Pascua since she was young and now all the efforts and sacrifices she has made to pursue her dream are slowly coming true now that she is working with a well-known space agency in Europe.
Pascua, from Tabuk, Kalinga and Natonin, Mountain Province is a Project Planning and Coordination, Operation Lead Engineer and a Ground Controller at BIOTESC in Switzerland.
Gwendolyn, who is in her 30s and married to a Frenchman named Demoulin, said it was a dream career in which she had invested most of her adult life.
She completed a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman in 2005, taking basic courses in instrumentation and fiscal economics.
She earned a Master of Science in Physics, also in UP, and was accepted in 2008 for master’s degree courses at Universite de Rennes I in France and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat in Munchen, Germany.
Out of this world
Traveling in space would have been almost impossible without the team of people on earth facilitating the smooth and safe transportation of astronauts from the ground to outer space.
For astronauts to successfully carry out a mission, they need experts, engineers and scientists to closely monitor and oversee the entire operation of space.
Those are some of the critical roles of people working in a Mission Control Center such as the Biotechnology Space Support Center (BIOTESC) at Lucerne University in Switzerland where Gwendolyn Pascua currently works.
BIOTESC is one of seven space-services and operations centers of the European Space Agency (ESA) tasked to guide scientists conducting experiments with astronauts and the International Space Station. So the young Kalinga works closely with astronauts. Is it really close? wink
“We prepare [the astronauts’] experiments and procedures starting from planning their experiments, coordinating with scientists and payload developers. We do all the necessary tests on the ground before they are sent to the ISS (International Space Station), “Pascua said. – Estanislao Albano Jr via. inquirer.net.
Pascua was at BIOTESC’s Mission Control Center successfully flying Thomas Pequet aboard the Soyuz MS-03 on November 17 last year.
Thomas Pequet was the first French Astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA) to fly into space aboard the Soyuz spacecraft on the ISS for a six-month space trip under the European Proxima mission project.
Sign in to share your thoughts. No account yet?
You might also like to read these related articles or browse more stories filed under People — or jump to a random article.
People Surprise me
LTC CARLOS B SANGDAAN INF (GSC) PA, Igorot from Kalinga, is the new Acting Commanding Officer of the 95th Infantry “Salaknib” Battalion.
PCPT John Paul Balliyao Agod, Igorot from Kalinga, tops Special Action Force (SAF) Basic Airborne Course.
Jeffrey Ysmael, an Igorot engineer from Kalinga, wins Gold Medal at the 13th World Taekwondo Culture Expo in South Korea.
PFC Gener C. Tinangag, Igorot Marine from Mountain Province, killed in the line of duty gets Medal for Valor Award.
PCPL Vincent Nazario, Igorot from Ifugao, tops Public Safety Investigation and Detection Course Class 2021-01 Alpha.
PMSg Miguel Malabato Jr, an Igorot sharpshooter from Mountain Province, is VIP Protection Training Class 29-2021 Topgun.
2LT Lester Soliba Depot, Igorot from Mountain Province, was awarded the Gold Cross Medal.
COL Dencio Acop (Ret) Ph.D., the first Igorot to graduate from the United States Military Academy West Point.
PCOL Roman Cornel Arugay, Igorot from Benguet, has been installed as the new Chief of Police of Pasig City.
Joemar Soriano, an Igorot teacher, landed as the Top 3 Best Academic Performer of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – QITEP.