On 2 September 2025, during a scientific field mission on Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, Dr Pozzobon was swept into a glacial meltwater shaft. Despite the prompt response of local rescue teams, conditions made recovery impossible. With deep sorrow, we mark his passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the communities he served.
Dr Pozzobon was a researcher at the University of Padua’s Department of Geosciences, where he specialised in planetary geology. He made significant contributions to the field, including co-authoring recent research in Nature Astronomy that provided the first direct radar evidence that a lunar pit opens into a navigable underground void – reinforcing the idea that such sites could offer radiation-shielded, thermally stable shelters for future missions.
Within ESA, Riccardo played a pivotal role in the founding and development of PANGAEA, our astronaut geological field-science training programme. Since 2016, he trained astronauts in remote sensing, mission planning, structural geology, and geological field skills, and he served as the primary ground communicator during scientific traverses.
Riccardo’s legacy is extensive for a young scientist. His contributions to planetary science and astronaut training will help drive future discoveries on the Moon and Mars. Those who trained and worked with him remember not only his scientific excellence but also his kindness, humour, and generosity.
On behalf of the entire ESA community, we offer our deepest sympathies to Riccardo’s family and colleagues.
We are coordinating with his friends and family to share information regarding memorials or support initiatives for his loved ones as it becomes available.
Below are some personal words of tribute from those who knew Riccardo during PANGAEA:
Loredana Bessone, PANGAEA Project Lead
I can’t think of PANGAEA without Riccardo. He was part of the core team for almost ten years, from the very beginning of the course. Each year, his role grew in relevance and importance, along with his developing professional skills and expertise. Like a magician, he could bring complex geological concepts to life through meticulously crafted 3D models and animations. With him, PANGAEA’s teaching evolved from traditional field geology to digitally enhanced planetary field geology. Riccardo was brilliant, humble, extremely dedicated, and full of enthusiasm. His sense of humour and his smile were contagious. He was, and will remain, irreplaceable. He will always be a member of the PANGAEA team, and he will hold a very special place in our hearts.
Samuel Payler, PANGAEA Deputy Lead
Riccardo’s passing is a tremendous loss for our team. He had so much still to offer, and so many adventures still to share. To have his bright future cut tragically short is very hard to accept. I’ll fondly remember all the time I was lucky enough to spend with him. Few people brought together intelligence and work ethic with humour and warmth the way he did. His legacy will live on in the scientific advances he made and in the astronaut training programmes to which he contributed so much. Somehow, I’ll always see his smiling face amongst the rocky outcrops of our beautiful training sites.
Francesco Sauro, PANGAEA Technical Director
Words will never be enough to express how much you will be missed, dear friend. Since we first met in university lecture halls twenty years ago, we have walked through life side by side, sharing dreams of the Moon, Mars, and many other distant worlds. When you share your dreams with someone else, trust, support and mutual encouragement come naturally. No matter what adversity you faced, you never lost your kind heart. Together, we overcame scientific problems, endless days of hard work, and both disappointment and satisfaction. Yet being with you guaranteed so much happiness and fun. I remember so many extraordinary moments, sometimes simply sitting in front of a computer screen together, absorbing your insights that led us to make unexpected discoveries. I remember when we looked together into the Mare Tranquillitatis pit, realising a dream we had chased for years.
You always prioritised shared knowledge and friendship over personal interests. You were extraordinary in this respect, and now we can all clearly see the deep mark you left on so many people here in Italy and around the world.
I want to believe that one day, someone will explore the depths of the enormous lava tubes on the Moon and Mars in search of answers about the universe, life, and everything else. They will reflect on the incredible things that humankind can achieve through friendship and collaboration, and on all the individuals who have dedicated their lives to acquiring new knowledge for the benefit of everyone. They will think of you, Riccardo.
Matteo Massironi, PANGAEA Lead Instructor
With Riccardo, I lost a part of myself. In the 20 years we spent together, he was a student, colleague, companion in wonderful adventures, and above all, a dearly beloved friend. Riccardo’s enthusiasm for research was boundless. He admired others’ insights and, with a generosity I’ve never seen in anyone else, he supported them, encouraged them, and made them achievable, even at the cost of neglecting his own inspirations. With Riccardo, intuitions became ideas, and ideas became discoveries. Many of us owe him so much. Riccardo was among those people capable of making things possible. That’s how we all experienced with him the whirlwind of research, its small setbacks and resounding successes.
With tireless commitment, he had managed to become a brilliant and highly admired teacher, both at the University and for the ESA-PANGAEA course, which he contributed to set up since the beginnings, becoming one of its pillars and most solid support.
We were so happy to undertake any new teaching and research venture together, and above all, on the ground. I can’t find words to express how much we will miss his friendship, his cheerfulness, his generous kindness, and his helping hand in every moment of our lives.
Kåre Kullerud, PANGAEA Lofoten instructor
“See you next year,” Riccardo said to me when we were shaking hands to say goodbye after the 2025 edition of PANGAEA in Lofoten. As always, Riccardo had contributed significantly to the success of the course. Five weeks later, I got the shocking news about the accident. Riccardo’s passing is a tremendous loss for his family, but also for the scientific community. His wonderful personality – always smiling, will be remembered.
Harald Hiesinger, PANGAEA Lunar Instructor
With Riccardo, the planetary community has lost one of its most enthusiastic members and I’ve lost a very good friend. Riccardo loved to do science and exploration, made outstanding contributions to the PANGAEA astronaut training, and was a great inspiration to all people who had the pleasure to know him. With his deep understanding of planetary geology, he influenced an entire generation of European planetary mappers and astronauts. Without him, our community would be much less prepared for future human exploration of the Moon and beyond. We owe him a lot. I will always remember the numerous scientific discussions we had over the last decades, his curiosity, his dedication and his quiet and friendly way to interact with people. And of course, I will remember our numerous private conversations. He loved his son and family and was tremendously proud of them. Riccardo, you will not be forgotten, neither by your family nor by your friends and colleagues. Farewell, my friend!
Nicolas Mangold, PANGAEA Mars instructor
Dear Riccardo, I will always remember your kindness and your expertise in geology, as well as the good times we spent together in the field. You will remain in our memories at every PANGAEA school; we will miss you.
Charles Cockell, PANGAEA Astrobiology instructor
It’s one thing to be keen on exploration and science, but there is also a love for it that caries an infectious enthusiasm. Ricardo was one of those. What the world misses is not just his contributions and discoveries, but the light he brought into the lives of everyone around him, those who taught with him, like us on the Pangaea course, and those who learned from him. As he taught astronauts, his family should know that his dedication to science and exploration is already assured a place among the planets.
Jesús Martínez-Frías, PANGAEA Lanzarote geology expert
When I heard the terrible news of Riccardo’s death, I was completely shocked and honestly couldn’t believe it. He was always my “ground control” partner during training in Lanzarote. Riccardo was a very lively person, always happy, but also a very rigorous scientist and a great planetary geologist. I want to send a message of affection and love to his family and express my condolences. Riccardo will always be with me in Lanzarote and beyond.
Leonardo Turchi, SpaceClick Founder
Un compagno di avventure, sudore e sorrisi. Le parole non bastano per descrivere Riccardo. Animo immenso e gentile, una persona squisita, sempre solare, disponibile e propositivo. Riusciva a imprimere dedizione e cura in ogni occasione, allietare ciascuna situazione che per quanto complessa, avrebbe contribuito a realizzare stando al tuo fianco. Ha fatto del bene in ogni situazione in cui abbia potuto. Il suo lavoro è di ispirazione ad una intera generazione, come esempio da seguire di passione per la conoscenza e di virtù per competenza ed esplorazione. Rimarrà sempre nei nostri cuori e sarà sempre ricordato come il migliore di noi. Un abbraccio forte, mio caro Ric.
Pierre Antoine-Tesson, PANGAEA SciCom and Training Support Coordinator
When I joined PANGAEA in 2022, I was thrilled to discover that Riccardo, whom I’d had the pleasure of meeting several times before, was part of the team. Working with him over these past years was always an absolute joy. Riccardo was not only a gifted planetary geologist and an inspiring instructor, but also a talented musician. With him, you could count on interesting conversations about almost any topic.
The news of his passing shattered my heart and leaves a great void in our lives. PANGAEA will never be the same without his enthusiasm, his dedication, and his hilariously unforgettable 3D scans.
Goodbye, my fellow “Ground” — you will never be forgotten.
Cindy Evans, NASA Artemis Geology Training Lead; Juliane Gross, NASA Artemis Curation Facility Lead
We will forever remember Riccardo Pozzobon, his beautiful smile, his cheeky admission about quite liking pineapples on pizza (don’t tell anyone), his excitement about his son’s word “rock” during a phone call, his masterful mapping skills, his skillful guidance of the crew as “ground”, and the moments of joy when we found new geologic features to be mapped. His kindness, his talent for geology, his masterful skills in training, and his wonderful nature as a human being will never be forgotten and we are carrying him in our hearts forever.
Jessica Wittner, NASA Astronaut
I’m at loss for words at such tragic news. Riccardo was such a great instructor; so happy and fun to be around. He always jumped to try and answer my many (sometimes off-topic) questions, and was always the friendly, guiding voice on the radio when we set out on our traverses. His passion for field study and teaching was clear, and seeing that made me want to learn more about geology and the universe around me too. I will carry that passion with me moving forward always now, and one day when we get to the Moon and Mars to answer those big questions, we will think of you and the lessons you taught us. My heart breaks with this news. You will be missed, friend.
Luca Parmitano, ESA Astronaut
Di Riccardo voglio portare con me due lezioni: la prima è una fame insaziabile per l’esplorazione e la conoscenza: alla prima ha letteralmente dedicato la vita – una dedizione che ispirava tutti quelli che lo conoscono. L’altra lezione è la generosità con la quale condivideva la seconda – la luce che trasmetteva nella gioia per l’insegnamento.
Samantha Cristoforetti, ESA Astronaut
What I will carry with me even more than Riccardo’s brilliant geology lessons is the memory of his humanity. He was a kind and gentle soul, whose warmth, generosity, and quiet confidence touched and inspired all of us who had the privilege to know him.
Matthias Maurer, ESA Astronaut
I am deeply sad about the loss of Riccardo. He was such a cheerful, positive and knowledgeable person, researcher and explorer, always ready to help, explain and share whenever I needed his support. I remember his wonderful sense of humour and the many moments that we shared during astronaut training, be it in his home area, the Italian Alps, the volcanic hot island of Lanzarote or the cold Moon-like rock formations in Norway, underground in dark caves, or above below the glazing sun or the sparkling stars. Godspeed my friend on your final journey – you will not be forgotten.
Thomas Pesquet, ESA Astronaut
I am absolutely gutted by the tragic news of Riccardo’s passing. He was such a kind, funny, and good-natured man that he became a friend to everyone almost instantly — myself included. We trained with him, learned a lot from him, and shared countless conversations — about Italian cuisine, future Moon missions, geology of course, and everything in between. But more importantly, we connected on a human level.
We had a ton of fun and shared moments of laughter even under duress while training in extreme environments, and those are the memories I will cherish the most. They’re etched in my mind. Riccardo had a gift for making everything around him just a little better, and I don’t think I ever saw him in any mood other than calm, focused, and kind.
Exploration is hard — and it is at its absolute hardest when someone like Riccardo falls. We owe it to him to continue. Today, the world sucks a little more without you in it, brother. But one day, I promise, someone will carry something of you to the Moon: maybe an idea, a lesson you taught, or an inspiration you sparked. But it will happen.
With deepest gratitude — we miss you more than words can say.
Alexander Gerst, ESA Astronaut
Riccardo was more than a scientist. He was a true explorer — of the Earth, the Moon, of planets, of ideas, of what’s possible. When he spoke about science, his eyes would light up. There was something in him that made you want to learn, to wonder, to care. He had that rare gift: the power to inspire, just by being himself.
You can only meet a few people like that within one lifetime.
And if you did have the lucky chance to meet him, then you could feel it in that very moment — he was a good soul. Quietly brilliant, endlessly curious, and deeply kind.
He made the ultimate sacrifice doing what he loved most. And though we’ve lost him, his spirit continues in the work we do, in the questions we ask, and in the courage it takes to keep exploring, maybe to the Moon and back.
“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.” — Frank Borman
Riccardo lived by that spirit. And we will carry it forward.
— Your friends and fellow explorers
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