The first of ESA's new generation of astronauts, Luca Parmitano from Italy, is about to undergo a long-duration stay onboard the ISS. The mission is called "Volare", fly in Italian.

He will fly from Baikonur on 28 May. After what will be the second ever same-day launch and docking to the station in a Russian Soyuz capsule, Parmitano's duties as flight engineer will include overseeing the docking of ESA's penultimate Automated Transfer Vehicle and two spacewalks.

During six months in orbit he'll also be carrying out an intensive programme of experiments in microgravity.

This Video News Release proposes an overview of Luca Parmitano's training and  mission to ISS. It includes interviews of the ESA astronaut in English, Italian and French and Bernardo Patti, ISS Operations manager, ESA.

More information : http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Volare

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