International Space Station to have two women on board for first time in years

Samantha Cristoforetti, 37, will join crew of ISS this Sunday Will be sent into space with other members on rocket in Kazakhstan Her arrival will mark first time since 2010 two women have been on board Elena Serova went up in September, after being hassled about make-up In Italian style, Cristoforetti will take first space-ready espresso maker along

By Kieran Corcoran for MailOnline and Associated Press

Published: 12:02 EST, 21 November 2014 | Updated: 17:31 EST, 21 November 2014

The International Space Station will have its most female-heavy crew in years as when Italy's first female astronaut joins the vessel this weekend.

Samantha Cristoforetti, 37, will launch into space from a facility in Kazakhstan this Sunday, where she will join Russian Elena Serova, who has been in orbit since September.

It will only be the second time that two women have been on board the ISS at once, making the six-member crew one third female.

Space-bound:Samantha Cristoforetti, posing above with the spacesuit she will wear, is Italy's first female astronaut

Companion: Elena Serova, a Russian, is already in orbit on the International Space Station. Cristoforetti's arrival will make the crew more women-heavy than it has been since 2010

Cristoforetti's arrival will also bring a new first to space, as she will bring a specially-designed Italian espresso machine along with her.

The so-called ISSpresso machine, which weighs 44lbs, is designed to work in zero gravity, and will be the first device of its kind outside the earth's atmosphere, the Guardian reported.

Go here to read the rest:
International Space Station to have two women on board for first time in years