Vasaloppet accompanies Swedish astronaut Marcus Wandt to space

A Vasaloppet analogy often comes up for how many laps around the Earth (1,405) and how many round trips to the moon (73) correspond to the distance that all Vasaloppet skiers have covered in the 99 races held since 1922. But in January 2024, the Vasaloppet journey will literally go to space for the first time.

”It was a bit of a surprise to receive the call from the European Space Agency (ESA). But a cross-coutry skiing astronaut born in Mora; of course, he should bring something from Vasaloppet on his first space journey. It feels very fun and honourable,” says Camilla Sandy Swarén, Press Contact at Vasaloppet.

For understandable reasons, any objects included in the luggage couldn’t be too bulky and NASA approval was required earlier this summer. Now, both a Vasaloppet medal and a number bib are packed, waiting for Marcus Wandt’s mission with Axiom Mission 3 to start at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in January.

”I’m really looking forward to everything about this trip,” says Marcus Wandt, who is currently in intense training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne.

”I’ve always enjoyed skiing, and bringing something from Vasaloppet felt like excellent timing, since we just celebrated 500 years since Gustav Vasa was elected king of Sweden.”

Marcus Wandt, who was born in Mora but only lived there for a few months before moving, has not participated in any Vasaloppet races so far. But the plan is to change that. Since the space journey takes place in January, it’s too tight to prepare for participation in the 100th Vasaloppet on Sunday, March 3, 2024. However, it might happen as early as the winter of 2025.

”Marcus Wandt would then be the first astronaut to ski Vasaloppet. Christer Fuglesang participated in Vasaloppet’s Vasastreak 2022 where he demonstrated push-ups, but he has not participated in a race so far,”  says Camilla Sandy Swarén.

Both the Vasaloppet medal and number bib will be donated back to Vasaloppet after their stay in space.
Facts Marcus Wandt

Born: September 22, 1980, in Mora. Grew up in Hammarö and lives in Linköping.
Background: Marcus is a former paratrooper and combat pilot with an electrical engineering degree from Chalmers University of Technology. He has also completed the Officers’ Programme at Karlberg and is the chief test pilot for Gripen at Saab. In November 2022, he was selected from over 22,500 applicants for a new astronaut group with a total of 17 astronauts.
Currently: Sweden’s next astronaut. In January 2024, Marcus Wandt will travel to the International Space Station, ISS. Axiom Space is organizing the trip (Ax-3) in collaboration with the US space agency NASA and SpaceX. The crew also includes Michael López-Alegría (USA), Walter Villadei (Italy), and Alper Gezeravci (Turkey). The stay aboard the space station will be up to 14 days.
Social media: Instagram @esaastro_marcus @europeanspaceagency

More information: https://www.rymdstyrelsen.se/

Facts Vasaloppet

Since 1922, 624,559 Vasaloppet skiers have crossed the finish line after completing Vasaloppet (90 km); put together over the 99 races, they have covered a distance equivalent to 1,405 laps around the Earth or 73 round trips to the moon.