{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Life\u2019s Tough, but Luca Parmitano is TOUGHER\u2026 This Italian Astronaut Shares the Adventure of His Journey! ","description":" Luca Parmitano has the distinction of being the first Italian astronaut to walk in space.  On his second spacewalk, he nearly drowned when his helmet filled with water.  During the Explorers podcast, he talks with host Richard Wiese about the thrill of the spacewalk and what he\u2019s learned about what\u2019s important.  Luca had a wonderful childhood in Catania, Sicily, and didn\u2019t realize that this place was special.  It\u2019s a vacation destination for people around the world.  His parent were both teachers. The first recollections he has of interest in space was through television and stories about the space shuttles.  Luca said he wanted to be an astronaut from an early age, but he didn\u2019t grasp the full meaning of that until he was older.   He was intentional in his career path, trying out for the Italian Airforce Academy.  Competition for a place as a cadet there is steep\u2026 80 cadets accepted from 8000 applications.  He was pleased to be accepted.   He knew he\u2019d have to become a test pilot to make the progression to astronaut, so that was his next goal.  As a test pilot, he was the youngest in his squadron and didn\u2019t think he had a shot at being selected for the European Space Agency (ESA). His squadron commander encouraged him to apply, noting that he would not be chosen without submitting an application. Three days before the public announcement, he got word he had been accepted and was overjoyed.  When it comes to setting records, he tells us that almost everyone in the program would rather talk about ideas and possibilities rather than what they\u2019ve done in the past. He shares that his belief that it\u2019s about the next guy and what he will accomplish, and that\u2019s where we should put our emphasis.  Hear the incredible story about his problems during his second spacewalk that almost cost him his life!  His advice to new cadets \u2013 You can only solve one thing at a time \u2013 Focus on the solution and not on the problem.  To learn more about Luca Parmitano and his exciting career as an astronaut, visit the ESA website. To hear about other explorers, join us for new episodes of Life\u2019s Tough: Explorers are TOUGHER!! At https:\/\/www.lifestough.com\/podcast\/explorers\/.  Richard Wiese, the host of this podcast, is an American explorer. He is the author of the guidebook, Born to Explore: How to Be a Backyard Adventurer. He became the youngest person to become president of the Explorers Club in 2002. Richard is also Executive Producer and Host of the PBS weekly television series Born to Explore with Richard Wiese.  ","author_name":"Life\u2019s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!","author_url":"https:\/\/www.lifestough.com","html":"