Trending 
Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano is preparing to pilot NASA’s Artemis III mission near Earth in 2027, and he hopes to carry a taste of home into space.
Parmitano, a former Italian Air Force colonel and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, noted that Italian cuisine is more than just a personal preference; it’s a cultural treasure.
“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 on Tuesday. “Everybody wants some Italian food.”
During the Artemis II mission in April, the crew sampled Texas brisket, tortillas, and even a jar of Nutella floating freely aboard the Orion spacecraft. Parmitano’s mention signals that Italy’s culinary influence may soon orbit the Earth.
Selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009, Parmitano brings extensive experience to the mission, having completed two missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS), including complex spacewalks. He survived a near-fatal incident when his helmet began filling with water due to a suit malfunction, demonstrating resilience that will be crucial on Artemis III.
As lead pilot, Parmitano will share responsibilities with commander Randy Bresnik and described feeling both honoured and humbled by the task.
“We are both test pilots, and the spacecraft needs a crew of two to fly it, so we share the responsibilities,” he said.
The Artemis III crew will also include African American astronaut Andre Douglas, who is flying to space for the first time, and Frank Rubio, a US astronaut of Salvadoran descent.
Artemis III will test two lunar modules, and with Parmitano at the helm, a bit of Italy will be part of the historic mission.
