Samantha Cristoforetti becomes first woman of Europe to command International Space Station

Samantha Cristoforetti has been appointed as the first woman to command International Space Station. She succeeded Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev during a live ceremony from space on September 28, 2022.

Oleg Artemyec gave Samantha a symbolic key to hand over command and a little tube containing cake. Samantha will be the fifth and first woman European commander of the International Space Station. 

Congratulations, @AstroSamantha, on becoming the first female European commander of the International @Space_Station.

Be sure to read all about the responsibilities of her new leadership role right here 👉 https://t.co/JsKpTTGEYm#MissionMinerva pic.twitter.com/yNdFvqT8XG

— Human Spaceflight (@esaspaceflight) September 28, 2022

What is the role of the station commander?

1. The Station's commander is accountable for the performance and well-being of the crew in orbit.
2. The commander is required to maintain effective communication with the teams on Earth.
3. The person has to coordinate with the crew response in case of emergencies. 
4. Since Cristoforetti takes command in the final weeks of her stay on board, one of her critical duties will be to ensure a smooth and comprehensive handover to the next expedition crew.

Samantha Cristoforetti: All you need to know

Born in 1977, in Milan, Samantha is an Italian European Space Agency astronaut. She is also a former air force pilot and engineer. Cristoforetti holds the record for the longest continuous spacelight by a European astronaut. Until June 2017, she also held the record for the longest single space flight by a woman which was later broken by Peggy Whitson. Cristoforetti is also the first Italian female in space. 

What is International Space Station(ISS)?

The International Space Station is the largest modular space station in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project that consists of five participating space agencies including NASA, JAXA, CSA, Roscosmos, and ESA.  The authority and use of the space station are established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.

Background

On India’s 75the Independence, ISS on behalf of NASA and all of the international partners wished the country. Cristoforettir also thanked India for its 75th Independence and the Indian Space Research Organization for the “Gaganyaan” programme.

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