She will be the first European woman to command the International Space Station
Ansa / CorriereTv
Samantha Cristoforetti will break a new record by becoming the first ESA astronaut to command the ISS. It was named in agreement between the space agencies that own the orbiting platform: Nasa, Esa, Jaxa, Roscomsos and Csa. The Italian astronaut will leave in 2022 for Expedition 68 aboard Elon Musk’s Crew Dragon-4 spacecraft, on its fourth commercial flight. Along with Samantha Cristoforetti, there will be veteran Kjell Lindgreen, novice Bob Hines and one more companion yet to be designated. It will be a rather long mission where astronauts will be engaged in dozens of experiments designed by different nations. An appointment that rewards the impeccable work and the positive experience of his first “Futura” expedition concluded in 2015. Before Samantha Cristoforetti, in 2019 another Italian astronaut had held this role: Luca Parmitano. The two pilots of the Air Force were selected together ten years ago and now both enter the golden register of ISS commanders.
May 29, 2021 – Updated May 29, 2021, 11:24 am
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