Space Mission. Nespoli and Villadei guests in Gera Lario.

Astronauts Paolo Nespoli and Walter Villadei will be the special guests at the third edition of "LarioSpace 2025," the international event on innovations and technologies in the New Space Economy, scheduled for September 11 and 12 at the Lario Space Center in Gera Lario. From 2007 to 2017, Paolo Nespoli completed three missions aboard the International Space Station as an astronaut for the European Space Agency, flying on both the American Space Shuttle and the Russian Soyuz capsules for a total of over 313 days in orbit. Walter Villadei, an engineer in the Italian Air Force, was part of the "Galactic 01" suborbital flight on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo spaceplane in June 2023, and from January 18 to February 9, 2024, he participated in the "Axiom Ax-3" mission to the International Space Station. The spacesuit worn by Villadei during this last mission will be on display at the event, inside Telespazio's satellite communications facility. The LarioSpace 2025 program will span two days. Thursday, September 11th, features sessions dedicated to industry professionals: technological innovation in space, sustainability in space, Earth observation, democratization of access to space, and the geopolitics of space. Friday, September 12th, features more thematic meetings, aimed primarily at students and enthusiasts: the Moon, Mars and space exploration, technological innovation for scientific research, and space education will be the topics covered. The program will feature presentations by Adrian Fartade and Vittorio "Astroviktor" Baraldi, two highly regarded space communicators. A large exhibition area will also be set up, with stands from organizations, companies, and startups showcasing their latest technologies. Two major innovations are also planned over the two days.

Paola Pioppi