Franco Egidio Malerba
Franco Egidio Malerba is an Italian engineer, physicist, astronaut, and former member of the European Parliament. In 1992 he became the first citizen of Italy to fly in space.
- Born
- October 10, 1946
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Busalla, Liguria,Italy
Flights
1
Spacewalks
0
EVA time
N/A
In space
7 days, 23 hours, 15 minutes
Bio
Malerba studied electronic engineering and physics in Genoa before working in research, industry, and technology management. His background fit the European payload-specialist model used by the shuttle for specialized international missions.
He flew on STS-46 in 1992 aboard Atlantis. The mission deployed the European Retrievable Carrier and tested the Tethered Satellite System, giving Italy a direct role in shuttle-era space technology experiments.
After spaceflight, Malerba remained active in technology and public policy. He later served as a member of the European Parliament, extending his public career beyond the laboratory and the spacecraft.