After going to space twice, the next dream is to create a new, all-European space shuttle. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti has been appointed to lead the Leo Cargo Return Initiative, the European Space Agency's program to develop a commercial cargo service to and from low orbit. This is a first step in the subsequent development of a European space shuttle to transport astronauts. "I became an astronaut, spent more than a year in space during two missions, performed a spacewalk, and served as Commander of the International Space Station. Am I allowed to have another dream? - wrote the ESA astronaut on his LinkedIn profile - I have one. A big one... I dream of Europe having its own spacecraft, like the United States, Russia, China and soon India. I dream of international crews flying into space not only on private U.S. vehicles, but also on European vehicles". The European program was already presented in May 2023, and reconfirmed at the November ESA ministerial representatives meeting in Seville, with the goal of developing a cargo shuttle for the ISS.
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