Samantha will lead the International Space Station as the first female commander from Europe.

Samantha Cristoforetti, an astronaut, will take leadership of the International Space Station as Crew-5 is scheduled to launch in October, marking the start of the station’s crew rotation.

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, a member of the Expedition 67 crew, will hand over command to her.

Since her arrival in April of this year, the astronaut had been in charge of the American section of the International Space Station. She is also in charge of the US, European, Japanese, and Canadian modules. She will be the fifth European commander of the Space Station when she takes over.

Before astronaut Cristoforetti, Europe’s Frank De Winne, Alexander Gerst, Luca Parmitano, and Thomas Pesquet had taken the roles of the commander and led the crew in the zero-gravity laboratory.

Samantha remarked, ‘I am humbled by my selection for the commander post and look forward to utilising the expertise I’ve earned in space and on Earth to lead a very skilled team in orbit.’

After a customary handover ceremony that features the symbolic handing of a key from the outgoing commander, the astronaut will assume command.

The ceremony will take place on September 28, according to the European Space Station.