The Astronauts of Expedition 26/27

ESA’s Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli will soon visit the International Space Station, and he needs your help to name his mission.

Paolo Nespoli will be launched in a Soyuz TMA spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 30 November with Dmitri Kondratyev and Catherine Coleman (pictured right). After docking two days later, they will stay on the International Space Station (ISS) as members of Expeditions 26/27.

Paolo’s previous mission was called Esperia from the Ancient Greek name for the Italian peninsula. Following the enthusiastic response to earlier competitions, ESA is again inviting European citizens to suggest names for his new mission.

The competition is open to all citizens and residents of ESA’s Member States. The winning name will become the official name of Nespoli’s mission and the winner will receive a frame with the mission logo signed by European astronauts.

Submissions need to be in by 30 June, so you don’t have much time!

For more information about the competition check out the ESA website here.