Samantha Cristoforetti

Samantha Cristoforetti is a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, aerospace engineer, and former Italian Air Force fighter pilot. Selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009, she has completed two long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS), spending more than 370 days in space. During her second mission, Minerva (2022), she became the first European woman to command the ISS and conducted the first spacewalk by a European woman.
Beyond her spaceflight experience, Samantha has played a leading role in international space exploration and cooperation. At ESA, she has contributed to the development of future exploration programmes through technical and management roles, led the student-focused Spaceship EAC initiative, and served as ESA’s crew representative for the Lunar Gateway programme, providing expertise on crew systems and habitability for the European I-Hab module. She has also supported international collaboration in astronaut operations, including joint training initiatives with the China Manned Space Agency, and commanded NASA’s NEEMO 23 underwater analogue mission.
Samantha holds degrees in mechanical engineering and aeronautical sciences, with academic and research experience in Germany, France, Russia, and Italy. Her career spans engineering, military aviation, human spaceflight, and international collaboration, providing a unique perspective on the strategic, technological, and governance dimensions of space activities.