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La Stazione Spaziale Internazionale, l'Europa e l'Italia   The International Space Station. Il laboratorio spaziale europeo Columbus  Europe's laboratory on the International Space Station La Cupola  Artist's impression of Cupola attached to Node 3, a module of the International Space Station - a nighttime view.
The Cupola, currently scheduled for launch in January 2009, is an observation and control tower for the ISS, with windows that will provide a panoramic view for observing and guiding operations on the outside of the Station. The pressurised module will accommodate command and control workstations and other hardware, enabling crewmembers to control the Station’s robotic arm - for attaching and assembling various Station elements - and to communicate with other crewmembers in other parts of the Station or outside during spacewalk activities. The Cupola will also be used for observational applications in the areas of Earth observation and space science Il veicolo di trasferimento automatizzato (ATV – Automated Transfer Vehicle)  Artist's impression of the Automated Transfer Vehicle approaching the International Space Station. In combination with ESA's new Ariane 5, the 20.5 t, 8.5 m-long Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) will enable Europe to transport cargo to the International Space Station. This new vehicle, scheduled for its initial test flight in September 2004, can carry 9 tonnes of scientific equipment, general supplies, water, oxygen and propellant. Up to 4 t can be propellant for ATV's own engines to reboost the Station at regular intervals as atmospheric drag reduces the orbit. Developed under Aerospatialess prime contractorship, an ATV will be launched on average every 15 months as a means of ESA contributing to the Station's operating costs. It can remain docked for up to 6 months, during which time it will be loaded with Station waste before being undocked and flown into Earth's atmosphere to burn up. Il Braccio Robotico Europeo (ERA)  Artist's impression of the European Robotic Arm (ERA). An important task for ERA will be to transport astronauts or cosmonauts like a cherry picker crane to the position where they are supposed to perform their work, or from one external location to another. This saves time and effort during spacewalk activities. La ricerca a bordo della Stazione Spaziale Internazionale  Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) Gli astronauti europei  Astronauts of the European Space Agency.
Front line left to right: Paolo Nespoli, Roberto Vittori, Hans Schlegel, Christer Fuglesang, André Kuipers Last update: 29 Gennaio 2010 |