Sawt Falasteen - Italian astronaut to pilot Artemis III mission

The menu for the Artemis II mission in April featured Texas brisket and tortillas for the Orion spacecraft's crew -- and a jar of Italian sweet treat Nutella was also seen floating by during a live broadcast from space.

"I do expect something Italian to show up on the menu, and I don't even have to bring it up because Italian food is a treasure of UNESCO," Parmitano told AFP Tuesday, adding "everybody wants some Italian food."

That's not all the former Italian Air Force colonel brings to the table.

Selected as an astronaut by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2009, Parmitano has completed two missions aboard the International Space Station, where he completed complex spacewalks -- including a near-fatal incident when his helmet began filling with water due to a failure in the suit's cooling system.

- Responsibility and humility -

As the mission's lead pilot, Parmitano will share responsibility with commander Randy Bresnik.

"We are both test pilots, and the spacecraft needs a crew of 2 to fly it, so we share the responsibilities," Parmitano said.

"I feel honored that I was chosen for this role," he said. "It was unexpected because I didn't know that it was in the run for that position."

Parmitano, a 49-year-old father of two daughters, added that he is "also very humbled by the task in front of us. It's a very complex mission."

He proudly wears a uniform adorned with the Italian flag and the ESA's patch, whom he calls "strong partners."

"
When NASA chooses a European astronaut to be a pilot, (it) is sending a strong message that our leadership is understood, that our cooperation is valued, and that our technical expertise, both in our constructions, because Europe builds part of the spacecraft, but also our personnel, is solid," he said.

- Multicultural crew -

The crew will be rounded out by African American Andre Douglas and US astronaut of Salvadoran descent Frank Rubio.

Parmitano said he has known the mission's commander "for my entire career," but noted that for Douglas the mission will mark his first space flight.

"We immediately bonded as soon as we found out that we were assigned to this mission," Parmitano said.

He welcomes the diversity in ages and backgrounds, saying it "just enriches the crew in general."

U.AlSharif--SF-PST