German astronaut Alexander Gerst has been honored at a Federal Order of Merit ceremony themed on breaking down divides. Also receiving plaudits were activists who sought political freedom in the former East Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Lovetsky
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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier presented Germany's favorite astronaut, Alexander Gerst, with the Great Cross of Merit on Wednesday.
Gerst, who had already received a lower honor, the Cross of Merit (First Class) in 2015, was rewarded this time around for "exceptional commitment."
The 43-year-old has taken part in two missions to the International Space Station (ISS), amassing an impressive 362 days in space and also acting as station commander.
During his time on the space station, Gerst attracted thousands of social media followers with his photos and observations about the Earth, many highlighting the need to preserve the planet and live in peace.
The presidential website hailed Gerst's "appeals for environmental and climate protection, which let us think about our own way of life." It also applauded his emphasis on space travel as a tool to promote understanding between nations.
An astronaut's view
In space, German astronaut Alexander Gerst was able to take stunning images of the Earth's surface. Experiments conducted by the international team may also benefit the Earth and its people.
Image: ESA/NASA
More than science
"Hello Berlin, I don't see any borders from up here!" Gerst tweeted on November 9th 2014, the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Apart from conducting a number of experiments in various scientific disciplines, Alexander Gerst had another important mission: to show people on Earth how beautiful and fascinating our "Blue Dot" is.
Image: Alexander Gerst/ESA/picture-alliance/dpa
Breathtaking phenomenon
"Words can't describe how it feels flying through an Aurora" - that's how Alexander Gerst described his experience with this natural phenomenon. Although he found it difficult to capture the experience in words, he was able to conduct research into auroras. One aim was to investigate the influence of our planet's electromagnetic forces on electronic devices at the International Space Station.
Even on Earth, one rarely gets to see the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. Alexander Gerst was fortunate to get this great shot from space of the Northern Lights in the polar region.
Image: ESA/NASA
Geochallenge
It is neither a mountain, nor a vulcano. In fact, this picture taken by Alexander Gerst shows Barringer Meteorite Crater in Arizona. Gerst would often share his photos on social media with the hashtag #geochallenge, challenging the public to try and figure out where the geographical feature might be.
It looks like a tiny hole, but actually measures 80 kilometers (50 miles) wide. Despite its interesting appearance, typhoons like this one can cause tremendous damage on the Earth's surface. "From up here it is surprisingly obvious that our world is one connected system," Gerst observed from space.
On thing that makes Alexander Gerst's photos so beautiful and fascinating is how they are unstaged, authentic snapshots. In this image, which Gerst tweeted as the saddest photo he's taken yet, explosions and rockets are visible in Gaza and Israel.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/ESA/NASA
Scientific purposes
Gerst's images, including this one of windswept valleys in North Africa, can be compared to previous, similar images. This helps scientists observe changes on the Earth's surface and determine whether they are natural or manmade.
The circles on this image are not the work of aliens, but rather irrigated agricultural fields in arid regions of Mexico. Some of Gerst's experiments dealt with food - for example, the astronauts grew edible plants on the space station to see if they could develop methods to use water more efficiently.
Image: ESA/NASA
Works of art
Some images Gerst took look like the works of a talented painter. This image shows a river in Kazakhstan snaking its way through the landscape. Defunct bends of the river are also visible, and one can imagine how it's likely to change course again in the future.
Image: ESA/NASA
Different view of infinity
"When light from the Cupola tints ISS orange inside, I can tell we're over Africa without even looking out the window," Gerst had tweeted. The Sahara Desert is perceived to be endless - when one is in it. But as this image of Libya shows, even the sand dunes there have a beginning and an end.
Image: ESA/NASA
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He was among 25 individuals — 12 women and 13 men — to be honored for their contributions to Germany in the fields of political, socio-economic and intellectual activity.
Eastern stories in focus
The theme of this year's Order of Merit awards was overcoming division, with the former divide between East and West Germany providing a sharp focus.
So too, were the politicians Rainer Eppelmann, Carlo Jordan and Jens Reich — all former civil rights activists in the former communist-controlled East Germany. Others who took part in the fall of the Berlin Wall, particularly the 1989 Monday Demonstrations in Leipzig, were also among the recipients.
Steinmeier described the honorees as "incredibly brave."
Musician Udo Lindenberg was granted a concert in East Berlin in 1983Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Klar
"Your courage has blown open boundaries — for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart," the German president said.
Also among those honored was rocker Udo Lindenberg whose 1983 song "Sonderzug nach Pankow" (Special Train to Pankow, a Berlin district) appealed directly to former East German leader Erich Honecker to be allowed to perform a concert on the other side of the Iron Curtain.
The theme of the former East Germany loomed particularly large in proceedings for this year, given their motto "Courage for the Future: Overcoming Borders." The awards website said the plaudits honored individuals "who shape our society and our future with energy and courage, and at the same time transcend boundaries."
