Franco Malerba 622335 216104444 2008-05-31T02:28:19Z 24.130.223.181 {{Infobox Astronaut | name =Franco Egidio Malerba | image = Malerba.jpg | type =[[Italian Space Agency|ASI]] Astronaut | nationality =[[Italy|Italian]] | date_birth =[[September 2]], [[1944]] | place_birth =Busalla, [[Genoa]], Liguria, [[Italy]] | occupation =[[Member of the European Parliament]] | selection =[[List_of_astronauts_by_selection#1989|1989 ESA Group]] | time =7d 23h 15m | mission =[[STS-46]] | insignia =[[Image:Sts-46-patch.png|30px]] |}} '''Franco Egidio Malerba''' (Ph.D.) (born [[October 10]], [[1946]], in Busalla, [[Genoa]], [[Liguria]], [[Italy]]) is an [[Italy|Italian]] [[astronaut]]. He was the first citizen of Italy to travel to space. Married to the former Marie-Aude Némo. They have one child. Recreational interests include mountaineering, skiing, and tennis. He is fluent in Italian, English, and French. ==Education== *1965 Maturita classica (Lyceum). *1970 University degree, Electronics Engineer, [[University of Genoa|University of Genova]], Italy, specializing in the telecommunications field (laurea 110/110 cum Laude). *1974 Doctorate in Physics, University of Genova, (110/110) specializing in Biophysics (after research work at the [[Italian National Research Council]] and at the [[National Institutes of Health]], Bethesda, Maryland, USA). ==Organizations== Founding Member of the [[Italian Space Society]]. ==Research Activities== *[[1970]]-[[1975|75]] Research Assistant at the Italian National Research Council (CNR) Laboratorio de Biofisica e Cibernetica (Genova) carrying experimental work on membrane biophysics (using squid axons) and biological membrane modeling with lipid bilayers. *[[1971]] Lecturer of Cybernetics and Information Theory at the Physics Faculty, University of Genova. *[[1972]] Summer Research Assistant at the Nato Saclant Research Center (La Spezia, Italy) working on computer-aided signal detection methodologies for sonar data systems. *[[1972]]-[[1974|74]] Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, Maryland) designing, developing, testing and using a fast micro-spectrophotometer for research on photoreceptors biophysics (using frog retinas). *[[1977]]-[[1980|80]] In 1977, Dr. Malerba was chosen by the [[European Space Agency]] (ESA) as one of four European Payload Specialist Candidates for the first Spacelab mission. After this selection he became a staff member at the European Technical Center (ESTEC) of ESA Space Science Department, Space Plasma Physics Division, working in the development, testing, and qualification of ES020 - PICPAB, an experiment in Ionospheric Plasma Physics for the first Spacelab payload, flown in 1983, involving the use of accelerated charged particle beams (cooperation involved French CNRS/CRPE, Norwegian NRDE and ESTEC). ==Industry experience== *[[1976]]-[[1989|89]] Held technical and technical management positions with [[Digital Equipment]] in Italy and in Europe. He worked mainly in the field of multiprocessor systems (Paris 1976, Milan 1977), computer networks engineering (Geneva 1981-85), and telecommunications technology (Rome 1986-88, and Sophia Antipolis in 1989). ==Military experience== Reserve Officer, ''[[Marina Militare]]''. Served in 1974-75 (Sottotenente Armi Navali); was assigned to the Destroyer San Giorgio as Science Lecturer to the Navy Academy, and then to the Mariperman Technical Center in La Spezia working on ELF transmission systems. ==Other skills== Obtained scuba diving license from the Calypso Scuba Club, Geneva (1984). ==Flying status== Obtained Private Pilot License (College Park, Washington, D.C., 1973) and then the equivalent Italian flying license. ==Spaceflight experience== After selection in 1989 as a Payload Specialist by the [[Italian Space Agency]] (ASI) and NASA, he became a staff member of ASI and was assigned to the NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, for training. In September 1991, he was designated Prime Payload Specialist for the TSS-1 Space Shuttle mission. Malerba flew as the first Italian citizen in space on [[STS-46]] (July 31, 1992 to August 7, 1992). He is now involved with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) manned space flight program follow-on activities. ==External links== *.[http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/PS/malerba.html NASA biography for Malerba] *[http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/international/english/malerba_franco.htm Spacefacts biography of Franco Malerba] [[Category:1946 births|Malerba]] [[Category:Italian astronauts|Malerba]] [[Category:Living people|Malerba]] [[Category:People from Genoa (city)|Malerba]] [[de:Franco Malerba]] [[fr:Franco Malerba]] [[it:Franco Malerba]] [[pt:Franco Malerba]]