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<p><b>Paolo Angelo Nespoli</b> is an Italian <a href="/pages/w/112329918782267">astronaut</a> and <a href="/pages/w/107629839267064">engineer</a>. In 2007, he first traveled into space aboard the <a href="/pages/w/115614231784447">Space Shuttle Discovery</a> as a mission specialist of <a href="/pages/w/110246009026745">STS-120</a>. In December 2010 he again traveled into space aboard the <a href="/pages/w/145004142176512">Soyuz TMA-20</a> spacecraft as an <a href="/pages/w/144482145565138">Expedition 26</a>/<a href="/pages/w/133479500026161">27</a> <a href="/pages/w/108077285880513">flight engineer</a>.</p><h2>Personal</h2><p>Nespoli's hometown is Verano Brianza, in northern Italy. He is married to Alexandra Ryabova and they have one daughter and a son. Nespoli enjoys Scuba diving, piloting aircraft, photography, building electronic equipment and computer software.</p><h2>Education</h2><p>He received his bachelor's degree in Aerospace engineering in 1988 and his master's degree in 1989 in Aeronautics and Astronautics from <a href="/pages/w/104061339631190">Polytechnic University</a> in New York.</p><p>He is a professional engineer, a private pilot, an advanced <a href="/pages/w/114741238537989">scuba diver</a> and a <a href="/pages/w/108241529196653">nitrox</a> diver. Due to his military background, he is also a master parachutist, parachute instructor, jump master, high altitude low opening and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Forces" class="wikipedia">Special Forces</a> operator. He joined the <a href="/pages/w/111991305484730">Italian Army</a> in 1977.</p><h2>Awards</h2><p>Nespoli has received the following awards: <ul><li> 2007 <a href="/pages/w/260556470695872">NASA Spaceflight Medal</a></li><li> 2007 Commendatore <a href="/pages/w/140074559352483">Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</a></li><li> 2009 Cavaliere dell'<a href="/pages/w/103234259730594">Ordine della Stella della solidarietà italiana</a></li><li> 2015 <i>America Award</i> of the <a href="/pages/w/127006910676165">Italy-USA Foundation</a></li></ul></p><p></p>