The "Futura" mission ISS Expedition 42/43, to which the Air Force pilot Captain Samantha Cristoforetti will be taking part - the seventh Italian astronaut up till now, and the first Italian woman that will go to space - was officially unveiled January 22 at Palazzo Chigi in Rome during a crowded press conference. "It is a great joy for me to be here today, and it will be a great honour to be part of this mission to the ISS" Cristoforetti said. "I feel very calm, in my everyday life I live the preparation with commitment but also with joy, knowing that I have the privilege of being part of an extraordinary group that has extraordinary opportunities". She will board a Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft at the end of November, and will fly to the ISS from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Cristoforetti was selected as an ESA astronaut in May 2009. She joined ESA in September 2009 and completed basic astronaut training in November 2010. She was assigned to this year's mission in July 2012.
The logo of the mission was officially unveiled during the press conference as the winner of the 'contest' organized by Italian Space Agency (ASI) "Disegna la Missione di Samantha Cristoforetti" ["Draw the Mission of Samantha Cristoforetti"]. It represents - as seen to the left - a 'stylized' ISS and its imaginary orbit around the Earth, with a rising sun and a canopy of stars in the background. This was created by Valerio Papeti, a young graduated in the Academy of Fine Arts in Turin.
Futura mission patch. Credit: ESA
The logo has been chosen from competition entries asking for a design that captured the elements of her mission: research, discovery, science, technology, exploration, wonder, adventure, travel, excellence, teamwork, humanity, enthusiasm, dreams and nutrition.
"I derive a strong sense of purpose from being part of the space community, as we build a future in space for we human beings. The name Futura for me is about our collective journey towards that future." Cristoforetti said. "The logo beautifully represents that momentum, that voyage of discovery. As a European of Italian nationality, I am especially proud of Europe's and Italy's contribution to this endeavour and I am happy to see Europe's outline and the Italian colours in the design."
Cristoforetti is now training for her mission on Station systems, the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, robotics and spacewalks. During the six months she stays on the space laboratory she will run new international experiments and continue the research of her astronaut colleagues.
Samantha Cristoforetti during fire evacuation scenario. Credit: GCTC
The ASI, the only national space agency in Europe to have direct access to the resources of the ISS, has selected and is developing eight Italian scientific research and technological demonstration projects for the "Futura" mission, which will be carried out by our astronaut in her six months aboard the ISS: five projects will be devoted to the study of various aspects of human physiology under conditions of weightlessness, two will perform biological analysis on cell samples taken in microgravity; a demonstrator will be experimented on board the ISS for an automated manufacturing process for the realization of 3D objects in zero gravity (3D printing). The projects have been developed by universities, research centres, companies and Italian SMEs, and selected by the ASI with the National Human Spaceflight Call for Proposals for the utilization of the ISS.
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