And then I graduate two years later, in 1998, with my class. And, since then I've been here in Houston for training basically. And I was very happy to be assigned to this mission.

I was, I remember, I still remember when the first time I pointed the telescope at the sky and I saw Saturn with the rings. It was a beautiful image.

And then my chance really happened in 1996 when we added the second flight of the tether satellite.

For the first time in history all the major countries in the world are pushing together to reach this goal... building something in space that is really for all humankind.

I remember; I was 15 years old when Neil Armstrong put feet in the moon.

And then I graduate two years later, in 1998, with my class. And, since then I've been here in Houston for training basically. And I was very happy to be assigned to this mission.

And just when we were at the end of our design process there was the news that the Italian government and the U.S. government had signed an agreement to fly the first Italian astronaut on that flight.