Astronauts Land @PoliTO: the most extraordinary space event of the year

Eleven astronauts, Rector Stefano Corgnati, the Vice-Rector for Society, Community, and Program Implementation Stefano Sacchi, and Professor Marco Petrolo, Co-chair of AIDAA

A landing strip like no other for eleven internationally famous astronauts: the Politecnico di Torino.
On October 15th, the university transformed itself into a true “landing base” for a day, hosting the Astronauts Chapter of the IAC – International Astronautical Congress, the main annual event for scientists and experts in the global space industry. Astronauts Land @PoliTO, this was the title of the event held in the “Giovanni Agnelli” Main Hall, which brought students face-to-face with some of the world’s most famous space explorers, participants in missions from top space agencies like NASA, ESA, JAXA, and the Turkish Space Agency, giving everyone a glimpse of humanity’s future beyond Earth.

The event, organized in collaboration with the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIDAA), chaired by professors Erasmo Carrera and Marco Petrolo from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS), as well as the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), was moderated by Marco Petrolo, representative of the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIDAA). It was opened with a welcome from Rector Stefano Corgnati: “Welcome to all, as we host today’s special guests of global importance. Events like these inspire new generations and encourage the exchange of ideas between academia and the aerospace world."

Among the astronauts present were major international figures such as Alvin Drew from NASA, Reinhold Ewald and Luca Parmitano from the European Space Agency (ESA), Hazza Al Mansouri, astronaut from the United Arab Emirates, and Akihiko Hoshide and Soichi Noguchi from the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). The event also featured new stars in the space landscape, such as Tuva Atasever from the Turkish Space Agency and Anthea Comellini, engineer at Thales Alenia Space and a member of ESA's astronaut reserve, both born in 1992 and with a promising career ahead of them.

Italian space experts also took the stage, such as astronaut Paolo Nespoli, one of the veterans of Italian space missions, who had been awarded an honorary degree in Aerospace Engineering by the Politecnico in 2019, and Andrea Patassa, test pilot for the Italian Air Force and member of ESA’s astronaut reserve. Completing the lineup of distinguished guests was Carmen Possnig, another key figure at ESA, who shared her research experiences and preparations for future missions.

Rector Stefano Corgnati

Among the questions posed by Professor Petrolo were those concerning sustainability, in line with the IAC 2024 motto: “Responsible Space for Sustainability.” As Luca Parmitano explained, sustainability in space is a necessity, and efficiently recovering water is crucial, otherwise they would require constant resupply missions from Earth. This is why technologies have been developed to reuse up to 98% of the water carried into orbit, and they are also working on life-support systems capable of regenerating or recycling consumables such as food, air, and water.

Another topic of great interest was the educational and technical, as well as physical, skills needed to become astronauts. In addition, emotional stability and a natural inclination to handle risky situations are essential—traits that Akihiko Hoshide summed up as, “No risk, no fun!” The astronauts encouraged students to pursue studies in STEM fields, while also developing resilience and stress-management skills.

Becoming an astronaut is a dream shared by many of the students who filled the Main Hall. This dream has already come true for Anthea Comellini - who expressed immense gratitude for the hard work and years of study - and for Carmen Possnig, who advised to “never give up, but always have a Plan B.”

There were plenty of reflections and stories, fueled by the collective curiosity, about space exploration, the daily challenges of life in orbit, and the technological innovations that are making missions increasingly safe and frequent, drawing humanity closer to the dream of becoming an interplanetary species (projected within 200 years).

A bridge between today and the future of space exploration: this event marked an important milestone in the educational journey of many students, fueling their passion and curiosity for space. It is part of a broader set of initiatives promoted by the university to foster research in the aerospace sector, one of the pinnacles of its academic and research offerings, so much so that Luca Parmitano promised to return to the Politecnico soon.