Luca Parmitano training in Star City

ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano from Italy is the first of Europe's new generation of astronauts scheduled to fly into space.
He'll soon be making a long-duration stay onboard the International Space Station, launching from Baikonur end of May in a Russian Soyuz capsule with two fellow crew members. His preparation for this mission has involved training with the Station's international partners, including a stint at Star City near Moscow -- where, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, he's gained experience on full-scale mockups of the Soyuz capsule and the Russian segment of the International Space Station.