Ilaria Cinelli, The Martian Girl

Like always we love to talk about space and we love to know new people that love to talk about space and that are working to make it something reachable. That’s why today we meet Ilaria Cinelli, The Martian Girl, a girl who grow up in the toscan countryside, that dreams to reach one day Mars.

Who is Ilaria Cinelli

Ilaria Cinelli is a senior engineer, specialized in the field of the biomedical engineering and in the space exploration. After the master in biomedical engineering, did in the University of Pisa, and a research doctorate in Neural Engineering, Ilaria Cinelli continued to study by taking part of a program of spacial studies of the International Space University of TU Delf, in the Netherland.

Therefore, she did a post doctorate in Neuromodulation to the Tufts University, in the United States.

Her working carrier is about the biomedical engineering, the neural engineering, the human factors, the planning of space missions, the analogic missions, the space medicine, the leadership.

Ilaria Cinelli is, therefore, President of the Aerospace Human Factors Association and member of the Aerospace Medical Council. She is, even, Co-Leader of the Space Exploration Group for the Space Generation Advisory Council. Lastely, she is invited member of the Mars Society Steering Committee.

And last, but not least, Ilaria cooperates even with an italian start up, the AIKO Space, a company that works with the artificial intelligence, used to automatize the space missions. The support of this italian start up is very important for the missions. Infact, it solves some of the essential problems of the space exploration, by reducting the costs and increasing the efficiency.

Ilaria Cinelli for Space4Women

In the past we already knew one of the mentor of Space4Woman. Today we meet another one. Ilaria Cinelli is infact one of the mentor.

Space4Womwn is a platform of the Office of the United Nations for the space affairs UNOOSA. The mentors of the group are women, chosen from the world of the space exploration that have the duty to inspire the girls and the women all over the world. They do it by telling their stories and their experiences. By letting them know that the space isn’t a place for only men, but that the support of the women is precious.

Everyone must follow her dreams.

Short interview to Ilaria Cinelli

Ilaria Cinelli tells her story on Enkey, she tells us about her passion. She explains why go to Mars is very important and we are very proud to know how the support of our Martian Girl is important for the future missions on the red planet.

From the countryside to Mars: that’s my home!

Where is Ilaria Cinelli from? Which is the background of a girl that dreams about Mars?

“I grow up in the Toscan countryside, green hills and blue sky, but the place where I would like to live is Mars! I was Commander of eight analogue missions, activities that simulate the human life on another Planet. Now, I’m training with more complex scenarios to reach my dream to become an astronaut”.

We reach the space from Earth

What’s that missions for and why is it important to simulate the space on Earth?

“These missions are scenarios of space operations simulated on Earth to test technologies and other aspects of the next missions of exploration of the ground of celestial bodies, like asteroids, the Moon and Mars. Recentely these missions became a way to support the grow of the commercial sector of the space. Otherwise the militar operations, the complexity of the analogue missions is variable to increase the scenarios that we can face in this new kind of operations”.

Ilaria Cinelli, commander of space missions, on Earth

Ilaria in these missions wore the shoes of commander, how is the feeling to be in command to a space mission?

“The first responsability of a Commander is the safety of the crew. A mission of few weeks can require at least a year of training that includes theory and practice of operations. Many members of my crews were civil and only few of them had a past in the army. We have to consider these differences since the beginning of the preparation of a mission for the unity of the team”.

“In the mission we create the conditions that bring the person to the survival. So, the problems that born from the human interaction can intensify in very short times compared to other context. The most beauriful memories that I have are the ones linked to the not planned emergencies where I saw the result of my leadership. For example, it’s very common that the perception of the danger alterates and that we don’t act in time, like in the case of electric damages that can end in fires. In the context like this, I saw how my crew acted by following the training protocol to be safe. I very proud of it!”

The importance of the team work

Ilaria, in the space the astronaut isn’t alone, but his success is up to the hard work made here on the earth, why is the team work so important?

“The astronaut is the result of the efficience of the work made on the earth. An astronaut in the space needs hundred people on the earth for his safety and to support the mission. The missions on Mars will last at least two years without the possibility to come back early.

It’s needed a level of technological innovation that isn’t available yet. Mars needs an unprecedent investment in research and development. Mars needs the sustainability of the space operations which includes sustainability in transports, health, nutrition and so on. Lastely, Mars needs a strong cooperation to share the resources and the raw materials, the biggest challenge for humanity”.

Ilaria Cinelli and the martian dream

Ilaria, why is it so important for you going on Mars?

“I want to go on Mars because the progresses that will born from this mission can be transfered on Earth too. The space is a good for all, as the Office of the United Nations for the External Space Affairs claims.

As one, I want that it will be used for the advantage of the people that will remain on Earth and for our planet. I believe that Mars is a way to discover the human values of our age, a breakthrough toward an upgrade, simething that the alternative ways can’t give. The future martian astronauts will represent our specie on another planet. So bring me on Mars, and I’ll give you the Earth!”

This post is also available in: Italiano