posted 02-04-2026 09:36 AM               

The torch relay began on Nov. 26, 2025 in Olympia, Greece, and will conclude on Thursday in Milan, Italy, during the opening ceremony at San Siro. On Tuesday (Feb. 3), as the Olympic torch made its way to Monza, Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli with the European Space Agency (ESA) was one of the torchbearers.

Among the torchbearers, also the astronaut Paolo Nespoli who brought the flame to Seregno, to the applause of many people.

Then on Friday, as torch arrives in Milan, fellow Italian and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano will also have the honor of running with the torch.

posted 02-06-2026 06:36 PM               

Under the lights of San Siro, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti steps forward.

A beautiful celebration of science, wonder and the next generation.

Three women, representing three different generations, played a part in the segment, signifying the Armonia of the future.

Samantha Cristoforetti, Italy’s first female astronaut to serve on the International Space Station, carries a Sun onto the stage as human constellations form the Milky Way.

According to the official notes, "the segment invites us to look beyond the present and imagine a shared horizon — one in which curiosity becomes care, and progress is guided by awareness."