European Space Agency astronaut urges young people to ‘not be afraid to try’

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Marco Alain Sieber said the first step toward achieving one’s goals is to take action without hesitation.

Speaking to Anadolu on the sidelines of the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in the southwestern Turkish province of Antalya, Sieber said: “I would tell young people that trying is very important because the only way to become an astronaut is to actually apply. It was the same for me.”

“I had always dreamed of it, but I never thought it would become a reality. When the application period opened, I gave it a try, although I thought I would fail,” Sieber noted.

“I did my best and eventually succeeded. So I think you should do what you love and never miss an opportunity to grow and learn,” he said.

Sieber said he was attending the congress for the first time and was impressed by the scale of the event.

“Thank you very much for hosting this tremendous congress. It’s really great to be here in Antalya,” he added.

Organized by the International Astronautical Federation, IAC 2026 kicked off Monday and will run until Friday.

It is co-hosted by the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) and the SAHA Istanbul defense cluster and organized by the Industry and Technology Ministry. Anadolu serves as its global communications partner.

The congress brings together representatives of space agencies, companies, universities and research institutions from around the world.