Paolo Nespoli in his Russian Sokol suit

ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli in his Russian Sokol suit at Star City, 15 November 2010.

He travelled to the International Space Station on a long-duration mission in December, serving as flight engineer for Expeditions 26 and 27. This was the third six-month mission by a European astronaut on the Station.

From December 2010 to May 2011 he ran an intensive programme of experiments, ranging from radiation monitoring to measurements that could improve oil recovery in petroleum reservoirs.

His duties aboard the Station included participating in the docking of two unmanned cargo craft: Europe’s second Automated Transfer Vehicle Johannes Kepler, and the second Japanese HII Transfer Vehicle (HTV). Paolo was the prime operator for berthing HTV to the Station after the free-flying vehicle was been captured by crewmate Catherine Coleman.