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Why Great Teamwork Outperforms Raw Talent: An Astronaut Explains

Teamwork beats raw talent. It’s a fact astronauts know well but one that Earthbound teams can sometimes overlook. European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti shares what space crews understand about building teams that work well together – and the shift preparation undertook to make that happen. She shares what mentors taught her about being a great team member and why the ‘experience’ of the work day is as important as the task at hand. She also details what’s next for space sovereignty and the capabilities ESA is working to strengthen as agencies like hers become partners, not just customers, in the space ecosystem of the future. The first European female astronaut to do a spacewalk will also explain why the gender gap in space is finally closing—and what other sectors can learn from long-term changes in STEM pipelines. This interview was recorded in January 2026 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.