Sunday, April 6th | 12:40 | Changing perspectives with the Overview Effect

‘One look out of the ISS window is enough to change your perspective forever,’ says André Kuipers, one of Europe’s most experienced astronauts with 204 days in space.

At the Impact Days, he will highlight the urgency of caring for our Earth and the power that comes from a new perspective and awareness.

Born in 1958 in Amsterdam, Kuipers’ fascination with space began as a child when his grandmother gave him science fiction books. He studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam and later conducted research for the Royal Netherlands Air Force, focusing on disorientation in fighter pilots and space sickness in astronauts.
In 1991, Kuipers began working on medical experiments for the European Space Agency (ESA), and in 1998, he was selected as an ESA astronaut. His first space mission was an 11-day flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2004. In 2011, he returned for Expedition 30/31, spending over six months aboard the ISS, becoming the first Dutch astronaut to complete a long-duration mission.

From space, André witnessed the Earth’s beauty—and its fragility. He describes our planet as ‘a tiny, vulnerable ball in a vast, hostile universe—the only one we have.’
Now retired from active spaceflight, André dedicates himself to science, sustainability, and education. As a co-founder of the SpaceBuzz education program, he helps students experience the “Overview Effect” through virtual reality, encouraging them to care for our planet.

His mission today? To inspire future generations to protect the Earth, because there is no planet B.

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