Samantha Cristoforetti
ESA astronaut, author and science communicator known as AstroSamantha, sharing life in orbit and the work behind Europe’s future in space.
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Latest
Samantha’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus her backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
DK Children
ESA
Allen Lane
ESA / ASIOverview
- Born
- 26 April 1977, Milan, Italy
- Work
- ESA astronaut, author and science communicator
- Training
- Mechanical engineering, aeronautical sciences and military flying
- First mission
- Futura, 2014–2015
- Milestone
- First European woman to command the International Space Station, 2022
Mini bio
How it started.
Samantha studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich, graduating in 2001. She joined the Italian Air Force that year, earned a degree in aeronautical sciences in 2005 and her fighter pilot wings in 2006. ESA selected her as an astronaut in May 2009.
From training to orbit.
Her first mission, Futura, launched in November 2014 and ended in June 2015. Alongside the science and spacecraft work, she brought followers into her world through detailed training and spaceflight blog posts. Her memoir later opened up that journey for readers.
A window into space.
During Minerva in 2022, Samantha shared everyday life aboard the ISS through TikTok, answered followers’ questions and reached millions of viewers. She also completed the first spacewalk by a European woman and became the first European woman to command the station.
The next chapter.
Her work now includes leading ESA’s LEO Cargo Return Service, helping Europe develop its own way to transport cargo to orbit and bring it home. She continues to explain space exploration through interviews, public talks and books for younger readers.
Creditschronological, newest first
Books
- 2025The Astronaut DiariesCo-author with Emma Roberts
- 2020Diary of an Apprentice AstronautAuthor, English edition
Space missions
Online video
- 20222022: A Space OdysseyAstronaut demonstrating walking with Velcro shoes in orbit
Awards
Quotes
Turns out, yes, you can walk with Velcro shoes. Slowly, very very slowlySamantha Cristoforetti, ESA’s 2022: A Space Odyssey
Her caption accompanied a playful demonstration of walking aboard the International Space Station during Minerva.
Trivia
- She commanded NASA’s NEEMO23 underwater mission in 2019, spending ten days at the Aquarius research station.
- ESA says she donates the proceeds of her memoir to UNICEF, for which she is an ambassador.
- She brought a Star Trek: Voyager uniform to the ISS and wore it for a 2015 coffee-themed photo.
- Her interests include reading, learning languages, hiking, scuba diving and yoga.
Find Samantha
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