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The Futura mission logo was revealed today for ESA astronaut Samantha Christoforetti’s long-duration expedition to the International Space Station.
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.
Samantha explains: “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.”
From the many entries, a design made by 31-year-old Valerio Papeti from Turin, Italy, was chosen.
The logo shows a stylised orbit of the International Space Station circling Earth – symbolising the connection between our planet and the orbital outpost.
Valerio added a sunrise as it is the most beautiful image he has seen from space. The sunrise also symbolises the future of discoveries and new horizons for Italy and humankind.
Samantha continues: “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.”
Valerio has a degree in Fine Arts at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin. He likes astronomy, science, art and combining them all in his work, although he considers himself a better artist than scientist.
Futura
Samantha will be the seventh Italian astronaut to fly in space and her mission is the second long-duration mission for Italy’s ASI space agency, following Luca Parmitano’s Volare mission last year. The logo reflects Italy’s involvement using the three colours of the national flag.
The Futura mission will blast off in December this year, and Samantha will follow ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst on the Space Station. Alexander’s mission starts this May.
Samantha was a fighter pilot in the Italian air force before joining ESA’s astronaut corps in 2009. She will be the third astronaut of ESA’s new recruits to fly in space. She is fluent in many languages and her trip to the Station will be the 42nd expedition.
During the six months she stays on the space laboratory she will run new international experiments and continue the research of her astronaut colleagues.
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ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti training for spacewalks in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, USA.
Diving underwater is as close as it gets to experiencing weightlessness on Earth for long periods.
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ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti training for spacewalks in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, USA.
Diving underwater is as close as it gets to experiencing weightlessness on Earth for long periods of time. To simulate floating in space, astronauts don the suits before being lowered into a large diving pool.
Should future missions require Samantha to venture outside the International Space Station to install new equipment or collect samples, she needs to know how to use spacesuits.
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Samantha Cristoforetti was selected as an ESA astronaut in May 2009. She joined ESA in September 2009 and successfully completed the Astronaut Basic Training in November 2010.
She is currently assigned to a training program covering the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, the systems of the International Space Station, robotics and extravehicular activities.
When not in training in the US, Russia, Canada or Japan, Cristoforetti is based at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. She enjoys interacting with space enthusiasts on Twitter as @AstroSamantha.
Samantha Cristoforetti was born in Milan, Italy, in 1977. She studied at the Technische Universität Munich, Germany, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse, France, and the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technologies in Moscow, Russia. She holds a master’s degree in engineering, as well as a master’s degree in aeronautical sciences from the University of Naples Federico II in Italy. Lt. Cristoforetti is a fighter pilot with the Italian Air Force. In her leisure time, she enjoys mountaineering, scuba diving and caving.
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Samantha Cristoforetti is one of six individuals who will become Europe's new astronauts. The new astronauts were presented at a press conference held at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France, on 20 May 2009. The new recruits will join the European Astronaut Corps and start their training to prepare for future missions to the International Space Station, and beyond.
Samantha Cristoforetti was born in Milan, Italy, in 1977. She studied at the Technische Universität Munich, Germany, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse, France, and the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technologies in Moscow, Russia. She holds a master’s degree in engineering, as well as a master’s degree in aeronautical sciences from the University of Naples Federico II in Italy. Lt. Cristoforetti is a fighter pilot with the Italian Air Force. In her leisure time, she enjoys mountaineering, scuba diving and caving.
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ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti (left) during a parabolic flight in 2011. During a three hour flight, the an Airbus A300 Zero-g aircraft and its occupants experience 30 parabolas. Each parabola lasts about one minute, of which the microgravity phase lasts some 20 seconds.
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ESA astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti and Alexander Gerst during a parabolic flight in 2011. During a three hour flight, the an Airbus A300 Zero-g aircraft and its occupants experience 30 parabolas. Each parabola lasts about one minute, of which the microgravity phase lasts some 20 seconds.
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ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst (left) and Samantha Cristoforetti wearing Orlan spacesuits during training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, on 17 October 2012.
Alexander is preparing for his mission to the International Space Station in 2014, as a flight engineer for Expeditions 40 and 41
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ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst (left) and Samantha Cristoforetti wearing Orlan spacesuits during training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, on 17 October 2012.
Alexander is preparing for his mission to the International Space Station in 2014, as a flight engineer for Expeditions 40 and 41.
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ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti wearing an Orlan space suit during training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, on 17 October 2012.
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Sunrise with Station
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Quelle: ESA
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