15 Facts About Umberto Guidoni

Umberto Guidoni is a veteran of two NASA Space Shuttle missions.

Umberto Guidoni was a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2009, with the Group of the European United Left.

Umberto Guidoni trained as an alternate payload specialist for that mission and made his first spaceflight aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-75 in 1996, which included the second flight of the TSS system.

In 2001, Umberto Guidoni participated in the Space Shuttle's STS-100 mission, being the first European on board International Space Station.

In September 2001, Umberto Guidoni was assigned to ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre as crew support for the payloads to be developed for the Columbus Laboratory.

Umberto Guidoni retired from active astronaut status in June 2004.

In June 2004 Umberto Guidoni was elected to the European Parliament, in the Group of the European United Left.

Umberto Guidoni was a member of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, and substitute of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, and the Temporary Committee on Climate Change.

Umberto Guidoni has been rapporteur for the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

Umberto Guidoni proposed the amendment 16 to protect the freedom of the press from the strict application of the EU directive on criminal measures aimed at ensuring the enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Umberto Guidoni joined the Party of Italian Communists around 2004.

Umberto Guidoni led a tendency within PdCI called 'Unite the Left'.

Umberto Guidoni is involved in popularizing science and organizes events related to space.

On 15 April 1996, Umberto Guidoni was appointed Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, President of Italy.

The asteroid 10605 Guidoni discovered by V Giuliani e F Manca on 1996.