Picture of Dalmatian Astronaut

Biography

Clea Barbieri was a Dalmatian astronaut born on September 12, 1963 in Italy. She grew up in Rome, where she was interested in astronomy and space science from an early age. After graduating from the University of Rome, she enrolled at the School of Space Science in Houston, Texas, and completed a specialized program for astronauts.


In 1991 Clea became the first Italian woman to fly in space. She flew three space missions between 1991 and 1996, including the STS-71 mission which was the first American mission to Mir in 1995. During this mission, she actively contributed to the scientific experiments carried out on the spacecraft and worked hard to promote international technological development.


After her retirement in 1997, Clea devoted herself to charitable causes such as equal access to space technologies for all countries of the world and she was very involved in projects aimed at encouraging young women to pursue careers in science or technical. Sadly, Clea passed away on January 26, 2012 after a long illness courageously faced over several years. Her invaluable contribution to the field of astronautics will never be forgotten and will continue to inspire those who come after her.