L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 4 T he sun dips below the horizon, and a shroud of dark- ness blankets the Earth. This tran- sition brings a dazzling burst of light that overwhelms the horizon, forcing onlookers to avert their eyes. Above the clouds, storms rage different- l y , w i t h l i g h t n i n g f o r k i n g upwards in ultraviolet radi- a n c e a n d e l e c t r i c b u r s t s streaking across thousands of kilometers. At night, the glow from human settlements out- l i n e s t h e c o n t o u r s o f o u r planet, marking the divide between densely populated urban areas, the vast blue o c e a n s , a n d l e s s a f f l u e n t countries. S p e a k i n g t o L ' I t a l o - Americano, Roman astro- naut Walter Villadei, who will celebrate his 50th birth- day on April 29, described viewing Earth from space as an overwhelmingly profound experience. He highlighted the special emotion of see- ing Italy from above, appre- ciating its extraordinary con- tributions and pivotal role in the history of space explo- ration. Recently back from the Axiom-3 Voluntas mission aboard the ISS, which he reached after a 37-hour jour- ney on SpaceX's Dragon, Vil- ladei recounted his experi- ences at the Università di Bari, starting with the Janu- ary 18 launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, all the way to his return near Daytona, Florida, on February 9. He expressed particular pride in bringing the Italian flag back to the International Space Station, a moment of great significance and emo- tion for him. What lasting impres- sion does this space mis- sion leave with you? I'm bound to fall short on this "mission:" capturing the essence of certain emotions and the breathtaking views offered by space, which is both a unique and extraordi- nary experience, is profound- ly challenging." H e ' s t h e e i g h t h I t a l i a n astronaut in orbit, the fifth from the Air Force, to which he expresses gratitude for its ability to "keep the goal in s i g h t , h o w e v e r d i s t a n t , " enabling him to experience space. He began his training in 2011, at a time when com- mercial flights weren't even discussed. Yet, it was he who, with the Virtute 1 crew, inau- gurated the first private sub- orbital flight last June on Virgin Galactic's spaceplane and, within a few months, participated in the third mis- s i o n o f A x i o m S p a c e , t h e American aerospace compa- ny aspiring to manage the w o r l d ' s f i r s t c o m m e r c i a l space station. Perseverance is exactly the message he conveys to the younger generation and to the students he encountered in Bari, the capital of Apulia, home to the Command of the Air Force Schools: "My jour- n e y s p a n n e d a d e c a d e o f training, beginning as a cos- monaut in Russia and then m o v i n g o n t o t h e U n i t e d States, where the space econ- omy was taking off with the entry of private enterprises a n d i n d u s t r i e s . S u c c e s s might not arrive instantly or on the schedule one antici- pates, yet it's the steadfast- ness and resolve that truly make a difference. My advice to them is not to lose heart in the face of possible setbacks but to steadfastly chase after your ambitions." From the cupola of the ISS, an Italian technological marvel, come his most cher- ished impressions, yet the journey obviously begins m u c h e a r l i e r , a b o a r d t h e rocket. "The cupola is a spe- cial place, the 'terrace' of the I S S , a k i n t o t h e S i s t i n e Chapel of the Station, but it's also a critically important engineering feat that allows for a 360-degree view. Look- i n g o u t f r o m t h e r e a n d observing Earth is an extra- ordinary experience. It's sig- nificant to mention that it was crafted by the Italian industry, a unique piece that Axiom is also considering for the new station, even with larger dimensions." What happens when you're positioned in a spacecraft, poised for launch? The initial wave of excite- ment hits at take off. Astro- nauts board the capsule two a n d a h a l f h o u r s e a r l y , embarking on a sequence of checks and preparations. Then, the countdown com- mences, 'three, two...' and right between one and zero, the whole vehicle starts to shake. The engines roar to life, and there's this brief instant where it feels like nothing's happening. 'Are we not moving? What's going on?' This moment is fleeting, as the rocket's thrust battles against gravity's hold, giving you a brief sensation of still- ness before a steady climb to 3 . 2 G s i n t h e f i r s t s t a g e . That's when the unexpected happens: the engines shut down, yet you feel as though you're still in motion. Your brain is deceived by the shift from accelerating to deceler- ating, creating the illusion of descent while you're actually ascending further. Shortly after, 14-25 seconds in, the second stage fires, propelling you upward with increasing force up to 4.7 Gs until the engines cease, and suddenly, you're floating in microgravi- ty." Walter Villadei: Italy's Ambassador to the stars BARBARA MINAFRA NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 Walter Villadei at zero gravity, on the ISS (Photo courtesy of NASA, Axiom Space and Italian Air Force)

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