Thirty-year-old from Chiari, in the Brescia area, she has just been chosen together with Andrea Patassa from Spoleto as reserve for ESA, the European Space Agency. High-level studies in Milan, Paris and Toulouse, she loves poetry and has Samantha Cristoforetti as her myth: the example that this work is possible for us too
Anthea Comellini, thirty years old from Chiari, in the Brescia area, who has just been chosen together with Andrea Patassa from Spoleto as a reservist by theESA, the European Space Agencyin astronaut class of 2022 – five tenured, 11 available, 1 with disabilities – with a consultancy contract and the prospect, given the multiplication of space flights, of leaving in the future for a new mission. Scientific maturity with a hundred without honors for a distraction (I hadn’t read the last science question on the scale of earthquakes, because it was written on the back of the sheet), is redone with interest in the following stages, at the Milan Polytechnic
oall’Paris-Saclay University e all’Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space di Tolosa. Today he works in Cannes, at Thales Alenia Spaces.
Why is it called Anthea?
It was the name of the protagonist of a miniseries played by Andie MacDowell. My parents, both curly haired, wanted a daughter with the same hair. And I came.
Have you always wanted to be an astronaut?
No, actually as a child I wanted to be a writer. I have always loved the humanities.
In fact, there is a Montale Prize for poetry in the records.
How did he find out? It was a competition I had entered with my high school. And anyway I finished third.
Favourite book?
All Harry Potter. I recently took part here in Cannes in a Harry Potter marathon in a French version, but dubbed well: at my age, I found myself surrounded only by 10-year-olds.
Who are your reference astronauts?
For a purely personal matter, Luca Parmitano and Samantha Cristoforetti. If I have to choose just one, I would say Samantha, because for girls my age she was a source of inspiration: she represented the clear possibility that doing this job was possible for us too.
22,500 of you took part in the selection. When you signed up, were you hoping to make it?
The last class of ESA astronauts was in 2009 and the idea of participating has always been in the background of my brain. Then the announcement of the tender was made in February 2021 and on 31 March the portal for membership was opened: on my birthday, I wanted to take it as a sign, so I participated happy with this very nice coincidence. For me it was the right moment: I felt ready not only to face the selection, but also to say yes if it went well.
When did you receive the result?
One week before the November 23rd press conference. We were summoned to Paris without knowing if we were among the 5 career or 11 reservists: we discovered that the same morning.
Disappointed?
Hand! I am very happy, also because I met so many extremely competent candidates who for who knows what reason did not enter the final group.
If you could choose between a mission to the moon and one to mars where would you go?
On the moon. Partly as a matter of fascination: reading about the various moon landings between the end of the 60s and the beginning of the 70s struck me a lot.
The mission that made the most impression on you?
In my imagination, among the most beautiful are all those of the Shuttle, in particular the repairs in orbit of the Hubble Telescope, forerunner of the James Webb Telescope to which we owe the extraordinary images of these days. As an engineer, I deal with what is called in-orbit service or space logistics: we try to develop technologies that allow a satellite to reach other satellites for repair and refueling services, in order to extend the life of these bodies in orbit.
a big fan of orienteering. Do you still practice it?
Since I left Italy I think I’ve managed to do at least one race a year. I can no longer practice it competitively, but I train alone. I am someone who moves a lot, in recent years I have changed city every six months. Wherever I move, I always look for an orienteering club, take the maps and go exploring.
What is your inner compass?
In general, to do your job well, you need to feel good even in the most personal sphere, my family, my partner. If these fit, then everything works.
December 1, 2022 (change December 3, 2022 | 16:16)
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