The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)
Ten Years of the International Space Station Celebrated in Turin
On November 17, 2008, ALTEC organized an interesting and excellently conducted meeting, at their Turin establishment, with local space sector celebrities, civil authorities and specialist journalists, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the International Space Station. The Italian contribution to the ISS and, in particular, that of the Turin-made components, is significant in many aspects, although somewhat neglected.
During the event - in real time from space - the docking of the "Leonardo" MPLM resupply module to the ISS was broadcast on large screens. The docking was an important task of the Space Shuttle "Endeavour" STS-126 mission.
The speeches of the ALTEC Directors, besides commenting on the suggestive images, strongly focused on the importance of maintaining the flow of Government funds allotted to space research. Participation in the coming international space projects will ensure an Italian presence within Thales Alenia Space, and consequently confirm the current level of highly qualified workload.
Special guest of the evening was Professor Ernesto Vallerani, for many years one of the top managers of the national space industry who received a standing ovation as the "intellectual father" of all the orbital modules "made in Turin".
After a guided tour of a display of the Thales Alenia Space products and the ALTEC facilities, each guest was presented with sample bottles of "astronaut drinking water" which is regularly ferried to the International Space Station by the MPLM resupply modules. Few people know that this water is produced - in different compositions for American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts - by SMAT, the Turin's Municipal Aqueduct Company.
On November 15, 2008, Leonardo - the first of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules (MPLM) developed by Thales Alenia Space for the International Space Station (ISS) - has begun its fourth mission with a spectacular night launch on the U.S. Space Shuttle "Endeavour" from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-126 mission is the eighth to be carried out by the Shuttle with an Italian-made MPLM module.
The Shuttle has been docked to the Space Station about two days after launch. The ISS crew has been in charge of removing "Leonardo" from the shuttle’s hold and connecting it to another major part of the space station, Node 2 "Harmony", also produced by Thales Alenia Space’s Turin plant, and launched in October, 2007.
"Leonardo" was once again carrying the equipment and supplies needed for both scientific experiments and to support the Station’s crew. "Leonardo" was the first of the MPLM modules to be commissioned, with two launches to the ISS in 2001, followed by two more launches of its twin "Raffaello", in 2001 and 2005.
The MPLM is a Multi-Purpose pressurized Logistics Module used to transport equipment, supplies and material to the International Space Station, via the Space Shuttle. Three flight articles have been built: "Leonardo", "Raffaello" and "Donatello". The modules’ design is based on the concept of flexible, multipurpose orbital operation. Once docked to the International Space Station, the modules allow both active and passive storage, as well as offering sufficient habitable space for two astronauts.
Thales Alenia Space, a leading manufacturer of space infrastructures, satellites, payloads and equipment, is the prime contractor for the design, development, qualification and integration of the three MPLM modules, within the scope of a bilateral agreement between ASI (the Italian Space Agency) and NASA. It also coordinates module interfaces with both the Space Station and the Shuttle. In addition, Thales Alenia Space provides ground and space mission planning and management support to NASA, through the Turin-based ALTEC Space Center. Also working with NASA, Thales Alenia Space provides support services for these modules, again via the ALTEC control center.
In the picture: A moment of the meeting organized - on November 17, 2008 - by ALTEC, at their Turin establishment, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the International Space Station. During the event - in real time from space - the docking of the "Leonardo" MPLM resupply module to the ISS was broadcast on large screens. (Aeromedia)
(Aeromedia, November 2008)