Paolo A. Nespoli /

Paolo Angelo Nespoli (Milan April 6, 1957) is an Italian astronaut. In 2007, he first traveled into space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist of STS-120. In the December of 2010 he again traveled into space aboard the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft as an Expedition 26/27 flight engineer. Nespoli's hometown is Verano Brianza, in northern Italy. He is married to Alexandra Ryabova and they have one daughter. Nespoli enjoys Scuba diving, piloting aircraft, photography, building electronic equipment and computer software. He received his Bachelor's degree in Aerospace engineering in 1988 and his Master's degree in 1989 in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Polytechnic University in New York. He is a professional engineer, a private pilot, an advanced scuba diver and a nitrox diver. Due to his military background, he is also a master parachutist, parachute instructor, jump master, high altitude low opening and Special Forces operator. He joined the Italian Army in 1977.