Italian astronaut Cristoforetti receives Italian flag ahead of ISS expedition
epa09671904 A handout photo made available by the Italian Presidential Press Office Quirinale shows Italian President Sergio Mattarella (L) handing over the Italian national flag to Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, soon departing for the International Space Station, in Rome, Italy, 07 January 2022. 44-year-old Cristoforetti, the first Italian woman in space, will become the first European woman to command the International Space Station (ISS) during Expedition 68. EPA/PAOLO GIANDOTTI / QUIRINALE HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
