11/11/2013

First Italian to space-walk 'elated' after July 9 feat

November 11 - Astronaut Luca Parmitano, the first Italian to walk in space, returned happily to earth .

 "I'm home", Parmitano said at a news conference. "I'm still exhilarated at what I managed to do but I'm also very happy to be back on terra ferma," said the Sicilian-born astronaut, who celebrated his 37th birthday in space. Italian Defence Minister Mario Mauro congratulated Parmitano, saying: "Well done Luca, with your exploit you gave us the universe". Parmitano said he was looking forward to showing friends and family the space shots he had taken above all of Sicily. For the mission, Italian chefs prepared and carefully dehydrated everything from lasagna to tiramisu', eggplant parmigiana, pesto risotto and mushroom risotto which Parmitano shared with others on board the ISS. The mission, called 'Volare' ('Flying'), after the world-famous 1958 song by Domenico Modugno, entered the record books on July 9 when Parmitano became the first person from Italy to walk in space. "I dedicate this to Italy and all Italians," he said from space. Air Force Major Parmitano was keenly watched on a live video link from the Italian Space Agency (ASI) near Rome as he took the first of Italy's steps in a joint programme between the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and the Russian space agency. The tension was palpable at ASI'S Data centre in the hills outside Frascati as Parmitano carried out the most daring and difficult part of the walk. "Go, Luca go," said ASI chief Enrico Saggese into his monitor. "We have realised a dream," Saggese went on, stressing that Parmitano's achievement was "a real landmark for Italian space activity". "It took us 21 years to get this far," Saggese remarked, recalling the first-ever mission by Italy's first astronaut, Franco Malerba, in 1992.

At last Parmitano  travelled to Houston  for a period of observation in order to be controlled by scientists with medical tests to measure any changes to his body as it adjusts to the effects of earth's gravity.

                                                                                                   by Mark and Luana