Nespoli leads observance from the space station's Cupola Earth-facing observation deck. Photo Credit/NASA TV
The six U. S., Russian and European astronauts aboard the International Space Station observed a moment of silence on Wednesday to honor Maria Nespoli, the mother of Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli.
She died Monday near Milan, according to the European Space Agency.
Maria and Paolo Nespoli in November 2010. Photo Credit/ESA Photo
Following the funeral service on Wednesday, Nespoli and his crew mates gathered in the station’s Cupola, an Earth-facing observation deck, to pay their respects with the flight control teams in the United States, Europe, Russia, Japan and Canada.
“We are sure she has the same wonderful view from where she is now,” said Nespoli.
The space station was flying over Italy at the time.
Russian commander Dmitry Kondratyev, Catherine Coleman and Nespoli are scheduled to depart the space station and return to Earth aboard their Soyuz 25S spacecraft on May 23, ending a 160-day voyage.
Nespoli, 54, was notified immediately after his mother’s death in a private call from European Space Agency Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and Thomas Reiter, ESA’s director of human spaceflight and operations.
“We all are in our minds very close to Paolo and his family,” said Michel Tognini, Head of the European Astronaut Centre. “There are probably no words that could relieve this sadness, but our thoughts are with Paolo, his family and friends.”
Reiter served as ESA’s representative at the services in Nespoli’s native Verano Brianza.