• → European Space Agency

      • Space for Europe
      • Space News
      • Space in Images
      • Space in Videos
    • About Us

      • Welcome to ESA
      • DG’s blog
      • For Member State Delegations
      • Business with ESA
      • Law at ESA
      • ESA Exhibitions
      • ESA Publications
      • Careers at ESA
      • ESAshop
    • Our Activities

      • Space News
      • Observing the Earth
      • Human and Robotic Exploration
      • Space Transportation
      • Navigation
      • Space Science
      • Space Engineering & Technology
      • Operations
      • Telecommunications & Integrated Applications
      • Preparing for the Future
    • Careers at ESA

    • For Media

      • Media
      • ESA TV
      • Videos for professionals
      • Photos
    • For Educators

    • For Kids

    • ESA

    • Human and Robotic Exploration

    • Astronauts

    • International Space Station

    • Research

    • Exploration

    • ESA astronauts
    • Class of 2009

      • Samantha Cristoforetti
      • Alexander Gerst
      • Andreas Mogensen
      • Luca Parmitano
      • Timothy (Tim) Peake
      • Thomas Pesquet
      • Matthias Maurer
    • Pre-2009 ESA astronauts

      • Jean-François Clervoy
      • Pedro Duque
      • Reinhold Ewald
      • Léopold Eyharts
      • Christer Fuglesang
      • Claudie Haigneré (formerly Claudie André-Deshays)
      • André Kuipers
      • Paolo Nespoli
      • Hans Schlegel
      • Roberto Vittori
      • Frank De Winne
    • European astronauts in new functions
    • European astronauts in space
    • European astronaut charter
    • Frequently asked questions – ESA astronauts
    • Astronaut training

      • How to become an astronaut
      • The challenges of astronaut training
      • Basic training
      • Advanced training
      • Increment-specific training
      • Spacewalk training
      • ATV training
    • Living in space

      • Living in space
      • Learning to live with the laws of motion
      • Daily life
    • Multimedia

      • Astronaut training brochure: Getting ready for space (English)
      • Astronaut training brochure: Getting ready for space (German)
      • Space food – astronaut nutrition brochure

    ESA > Our Activities > Human and Robotic Exploration > Astronauts

    Samantha Cristoforetti

    Personal data

    Born in Milan, Italy, on 26 April 1977 Samantha Cristoforetti is an avid reader with a passion for science and technology, but an equal interest in humanities. She enjoys learning foreign languages and her current challenge is Chinese. Occasionally she finds the time to hike, scuba dive or practice yoga.

    Education

    Samantha completed her secondary education at the Liceo Scientifico in Trento, Italy, in 1996 after having spent a year as an exchange student in the United States.

    In 2001, she graduated from the Technische Universität Munich, Germany, with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with specialisations in aerospace propulsion and lightweight structures. As part of her studies, she spent four months at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse, France, working on an experimental project in aerodynamics. She wrote her master’s thesis in solid rocket propellants during a 10-month research stay at the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technologies in Moscow, Russia.

    As part of her training at the Italian Air Force Academy, she also completed a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical sciences at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, in 2005.

    Experience

    In 2001, Samantha joined the Italian Air Force. She was admitted to the Air Force Academy as an officer candidate and served as class leader for four years. Following her graduation in 2005, she attended the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Sheppard Air Force Base in the United States, where she earned her fighter pilot wings in 2006. Upon her return to Italy she was assigned to fly the AM-X ground attack fighter at the 51st Bomber Wing in Istrana.

    Samantha was selected as an ESA astronaut in May 2009. She joined ESA in September 2009 and completed her basic astronaut training in November 2010. She was then assigned to the role of ESA reserve astronaut, which allowed her to earn her initial qualifications in EVA and robotics, as well as the certification as flight engineer of the Russian spacecraft Soyuz. In March 2012 she was assigned to fly as flight engineer on the Soyuz TMA-15M, as part of the crew of Expedition 42/43 on the International Space Station.

    On 23 November, 2014 Samantha was launched from the cosmodrome of Baikonur in Kazakhstan. She returned to Earth on 11 June, 2015 after spending 200 days in space, currently the longest spaceflight of a European. The mission, which was given the name Futura, was the second long-duration flight opportunity for the Italian Space Agency, the eighth for an ESA astronaut.

    After completing her post-flight tasks, while waiting for assignment to a second spaceflight, Samantha has been given technical and management duties at the European Astronaut Centre, which include serving on technical evaluation boards for exploration-related projects. For several years she led the Spaceship EAC initiative, a student-centred team working on the technological challenges of future missions to the Moon. She is now crew representative for ESA in the Lunar Orbital Platform – Gateway project.

    Samantha is also part of a working group tasked with working with Chinese counterparts to define and implement cooperation in the field of astronaut operations. In 2017, together with fellow ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer, she participated in a sea survival exercise organised by the Astronaut Center of China in the Yellow Sea. This was the first joint training of Chinese and non-Chinese astronauts in China.

    In July 2015 Samantha was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the Italian president.

    Last update: 8 August 2018

    Rate this

    Views

    Share

    • Currently 4.5 out of 5 Stars.
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    Rating: 4.7/5 (788 votes cast)

    Thank you for rating!

    You have already rated this page, you can only rate it once!

    Your rating has been changed, thanks for rating!

    261525
    Tweet

    Related articles

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti back on Earth11 June 2015

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti back on Earth11 June 2015 ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, NASA astronaut Terry Virts and Russian commander Anton Shkaplerov landed safely today in the Kazakh steppe after a three-hour ride in their Soyuz spacecraft. They left the International Space Station at 10:20 GMT...

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returning home08 June 2015

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returning home08 June 2015 ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti will return to Earth on 11 June, along with NASA astronaut Terry Virts and Soyuz commander Anton Shkaplerov, having spent 200 days in space on the International Space Station.

    Space Station remodelling28 May 2015

    Space Station remodelling28 May 2015 The International Space Station’s Permanent Multipurpose Module was detached and moved by the main robotic arm to another place on the orbiting laboratory yesterday.

    Samantha’s longer stay on Space Station12 May 2015

    Samantha’s longer stay on Space Station12 May 2015 ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti’s mission on the International Space Station has been extended until the beginning of June. It was planned to end this week with a return to Earth together with NASA astronaut Terry Virts and cosmonaut Anton Shkapl...

    Second Dragon, fruit flies and fresh coffee for Samantha22 April 2015

    Second Dragon, fruit flies and fresh coffee for Samantha22 April 2015 ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is nearing the end of her six-month Futura mission but her action-packed stay on the International Space Station is showing no signs of slowing down.

    Mission X comes to a close with a call from space25 March 2015

    Mission X comes to a close with a call from space25 March 2015 On the very same day that Mission X’s mascot Astro Charlie reached the moon, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti reached out to children from the International Space Station (ISS), her outpost in space.  Hundreds of students aged 8 to 12 gathere...

    Testing astronauts’ lungs in Space Station airlock 09 March 2015

    Testing astronauts’ lungs in Space Station airlock 09 March 2015 Air was pumped out of the International Space Station’s air lock for the first time in the name of science last week. Inside the cylindrical Quest airlock, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and NASA’s Terry Virts monitored their breathing for resea...

    Fresh supplies and experiments for Samantha13 January 2015

    Fresh supplies and experiments for Samantha13 January 2015 Yesterday, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore captured the Dragon spacecraft with its supplies and new experiments for the six astronauts living 400 km above our planet.

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti arrives at Space Station24 November 2014

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti arrives at Space Station24 November 2014

    Samantha set for Space Station21 November 2014

    Samantha set for Space Station21 November 2014

    Europe’s 3D printer set for Space Station 13 November 2014

    Europe’s 3D printer set for Space Station 13 November 2014 Europe’s very first 3D printer in space is scheduled for installation aboard the ISS next year.

    Samantha during training at GCTC

    Samantha’s mission has a name: Futura09 December 2013

    Samantha during training at GCTC

    Samantha’s mission has a name: Futura09 December 2013 ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti’s mission to the International Space Station will be called Futura. The name for the joint mission with Italy’s ASI space agency, set for launch next November, was chosen after a call for ideas in her home country.

    Samantha Cristoforetti EVA training at JSC

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti set for Space Station in 201403 July 2012

    Samantha Cristoforetti EVA training at JSC

    ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti set for Space Station in 201403 July 2012 PR 20 2012 - ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti has been assigned to be launched on a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in 2014 for a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station.

    Samantha’s Futura logo22 January 2014

    Samantha’s Futura logo22 January 2014 The Futura mission logo was revealed today for ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti’s long-duration expedition to the International Space Station.

    • Futura mission
    • Samantha Cristoforetti EVA training at JSC
      Samantha Cristoforetti EVA training at JSC
      Connect with Samantha Cristoforetti
    • Samantha Cristoforetti videos
    • Samantha Cristoforetti images
    • Samantha Cristoforetti training images
    • Related links
      • European Astronaut Selection
      • Follow on Twitter
      • Follow @AstroSamantha
    • App Store
    • Subscribe
    • mobile version
    • FAQ

    • Site Map

    • Contacts

    • Terms and conditions