| Umberto Guidoni | |
|---|---|
| ESA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Status | Retired |
| Born | 18 August 1954 Rome, Italy |
| Other occupation | Astrophysicist, MEP |
| Time in space | 27d 15h 12m |
| Selection | 1996 NASA Group (16) |
| Missions | STS-75, STS-100 |
| Mission insignia | |
Umberto Guidoni (born in Rome 18 August 1954) is an Italian politician and a former ESA astronaut. He is a veteran of two NASA space shuttle missions. He was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2004 to 2009.
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Guidoni earned a doctorate in astrophysics from the University of Rome La Sapienza in 1978 and worked in the Italian Space Agency (ASI) as well as in the European Space Agency (ESA). One of his research projects was the Tethered Satellite System, which was part of the payload of the STS-46 mission. Guidoni trained as an alternate payload specialist for this mission and made his first spaceflight aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-75 in 1996, which included another test of the TSS system.
In 2001, Guidoni participated in the Space Shuttle's STS-100 mission, being the first European on board the International Space Station (ISS). On that flight, the Space Shuttle Endeavour carried the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module for its maiden flight as well as the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), the Canadian robotic arm used extensively to assemble the ISS.
In September 2001, Guidoni was assigned to ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) as crew support for the payloads to be developed for the Columbus Laboratory. Columbus and its payloads are the European contribution to the scientific research performed on board the International Space Station. He retired from active astronaut status in June 2004.
In June 2004 Guidoni was elected to the European Parliament, in the Group of the European United Left (GUE/NGL). He was a member of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), and substitute of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), and the Temporary Committee on Climate Change.[1] He has been rapporteur for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) for Research and Innovation.
Since 2010 he is the national responsible for education of the left party Left Ecology Freedom.
On 15 April 1996, Guidoni was nominated Commendatore dell'Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana by Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, President of Italy. On 11 May 2001, he was appointed Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of Italy.
In 1996, Guidoni also received the NASA Space Flight Medal for his first orbital flight (STS-75). [1] A second NASA Space Flight Medal was awarded after his second space flight of 2001 (STS-100). [2]
In 2002, he received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal for his activity in the space program. [3]
The asteroid 10605 Guidoni discovered by V. Giuliani e F. Manca on 1996. [4]
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![[1]](http://nasapeople.nasa.gov/awards/medals/sfm.jpg){kind=link}
![[3]](http://nasapeople.nasa.gov/awards/medals/esm.jpg){kind=link}