Wanted astronauts. Samantha Cristoforetti’s suggestions for the explorers of tomorrow

by time news

In the aftermath of her appointment as the next commander of the International Space Station, Samantha Cristoforetti outlined her suggestions for aspiring European astronauts. Academic preparation, teamwork and a lot of openness to dialogue, this is AstroSamantha’s recipe for future space explorers

“To become a good leader, you must first have been a good crew member.” So Samantha Cristoforetti commented on her role as the next commander of the International Space Station (the first European woman to hold that position) during the conversation with David Parker, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration of the European Space Agency (ESA). The occasion, organized on the Agency’s WebTv, was a moment to answer some questions from the public on the call for the next European astronauts.

ASPIRING ASTRONAUTS WANTED

“Submitting the application is a surefire way to increase your chances of being chosen,” AstroSamantha joked to Parker’s question about the astronaut’s suggestions for aspiring space explorers. Of course, the most stringent requirements of a rigorous technical-scientific academic preparation remain, indispensable for that peculiar profession that is the astronaut, however Cristoforetti wanted to underline other more “human” abilities indispensable for life in space: “the ability to work in team is indispensable, and above all the ability to play down with laughter the tensions that, invariably, can arise in a team ”. The Italian astronaut also underlined the importance of all those experiences that have contributed to the formation of the well-rounded person: “In your CV you should point out any occasion from which you feel you have learned something”.

BEYOND THE SPACE

“Every astronaut is grateful to his family for the support received, which is essential to be able to do this incredible job,” said Cristoforetti, remembering however that the job of an astronaut is not just preparing for the mission or floating miles away from the surface. The work of a space explorer continues on the ground, following the various projects and programs of the respective agencies and constantly working for the advancement of scientific research and the realization of technological innovations for the future of human travel in space. In particular, AstroSamantha had the opportunity to participate in the research work on the Lunar Gateway, the mini-space station that will orbit in the cislunar space that will allow the stabilization of the human presence on our satellite.

THE NEW MISSION OF ASTROSAMANTHA

For Samantha Cristoforetti, the command of the ISS marks a further record in her career as an astronaut, after being the first Italian in space in 2014, on the occasion of the Futura mission during which she reached the record for staying on board in a single mission for an astronaut of the ESA in general and among female astronauts. The new mission will start not before the end of 2022. As explained by Cristoforetti herself on the occasion of her appointment as commander, it will be necessary to wait for “the new American vehicles to reach full capacity, more or less quickly”, starting with the Crew SpaceX Dragon, on which the journey to the ISS will take place.

NEXT ACTIVITIES OF THE ISS

Regarding the activities that it will carry out in the new mission, he added in March, there will be “scientific research and technological development activities in microgravity” that aim at direct returns to Earth, such as the new activities on the Columbus module and the debut of Bartolomeo installed outside it. . There will be educational projects aimed at “inspiring the new generations”, but activities functional to exploration beyond the Earth’s orbit will also grow. “Everything will be in continuity,” explained the astronaut. For example, we will work on additive manufacturing, 3D printing in orbit, and then on “spirulina, useful for closed-cycle life support systems”. These are technologies, AstroSamantha noted, “that pave the way in the future for long-term missions beyond low orbit, in which you need to be more autonomous in logistics and life support.”

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