Samantha Cristoforetti completed her secondary
education at the Liceo Scientifico in Trento, Italy, in 1996 after having spent
a year as an exchange student in the United States. In 2001, she graduated from
the Technische Universität Munich, Germany, with a masters degree in
mechanical engineering with specialisations in aerospace propulsion and
lightweight structures. As part of her studies, she spent four months at the
Ecole Nationale Supérieure de lAéronautique et de
lEspace in Toulouse, France, working on an experimental project in
aerodynamics. She wrote her masters thesis in solid rocket propellants
during a 10-month research stay at the Mendeleev University of Chemical
Technologies in Moscow, Russia. As part of her training at the Italian Air
Force Academy, she also completed a bachelors degree in aeronautical
sciences at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, in 2005.
In 2001
Samantha Cristoforetti joined the Italian Air Force Academy in Pozzuoli, Italy,
graduating in 2005. She served as class leader and was awarded the Honour Sword
for best academic achievement. From 2005 to 2006, she was based at Sheppard Air
Force Base in Texas, USA. After completing the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot
Training, she became a fighter pilot and was assigned to the 132
nd
Squadron, 51
st Bomber Wing, based in Istrana, Italy. In 2007,
Samantha Cristoforetti completed Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals training.
From 2007 to 2008, she flew the MB-339 and served in the Plan and Operations
Section for the 51
st Bomber Wing in Istrana, Italy. In 2008, she
joined the 101
st Squadron, 32
nd Bomber Wing, based at
Foggia, Italy, where she completed operational conversion training for the AM-X
ground attack fighter. Samantha Cristoforetti is a Captain in the Italian Air
Force. She has logged over 500 hours flying six types of military aircraft:
SF-260, T-37, T-38, MB-339A, MB-339CD and AM-X. She resigned from the
Aeronautica Militare Italiana on December 31, 2019.
Samantha Cristoforetti
was selected as an
ESA
astronaut in May 2009. She joined
ESA in
September 2009 and completed basic astronaut training in November 2010.
Samantha Cristoforetti enjoys hiking, scuba diving, yoga, reading and
travelling. Other interests include technology, nutrition and the Chinese
language.