In the occasion of an official visit to France, the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella honoured ESA with a visit to ESA Headquarters on Monday 30 March 2015.
The President and the Italian Undersecretary of State Mario Giro, accompanied by Roberto Battiston, President of the Italian Space Agency, were welcomed to ESA by Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain together with ESA Director of Finance Controlling and Information Technology Giuseppe Morsillo and ESA Director of Technical and Quality Management Franco Ongaro.
Upon arrival, the President’s Delegation shook hands with Italian ESA staff. Following a meeting with ESA DG, the Delegation was invited in Room A where a 20-minute inflight call had been set up with ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti onboard the ISS.