In the very first episode of ESA Explores we chat to ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano about his upcoming second mission to the International Space Station – Beyond.

Luca’s first mission, Volare in 2013, saw him spend 166 days onboard the Space Station where he carried out two spacewalks and performed over 40 science experiments in orbit.

In July, 2019, Luca will be launched once more to Earth’s orbital outpost from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. He will share this journey in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft with NASA astronaut Drew Morgan and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Skvortsov and, during the second part of his mission, he will become the first Italian and third ever European astronaut to hold the role.

Hear more about how he and his crew are preparing for their time onboard Earth's orbital outpost, how it compares to his training for Volare, what happens right ahead of launch and what historical mission he would choose to fly if he could go back in time.

Read more about this mission on the blog at http://blogs.esa.int/luca-parmitano/ and follow the team on Twitter at @esaspaceflight for updates on Beyond.