Aleš Svoboda — medium bio (~140 words)

Aleš Svoboda is a fighter pilot in the Czech Air Force and a Czech astronaut in training with the European Space Agency. He has served in the Czech Armed Forces since 2005. He has logged more than 1,600 hours in the JAS‑39 Gripen and other types and is involved in the strategic programme to introduce the F‑35 Lightning II. In 2022 he was selected from over 22,500 applicants — the largest astronaut selection in history — into the new ESA astronaut team. He is preparing for a spaceflight with the ambition of becoming the first astronaut of the independent Czech Republic. He holds two engineering degrees and a PhD in aerospace engineering.
