ISS - Paolo Nespoli and US crew in-flight call with the Pope

Date: Thu, Oct 26, 2017 | 13:00 - 13:20 GMT | 15:00 - 15:20 CEST

Type: ESA TV Live

Format: 16:9

US On Thursday 26 October at 1500 Rome time, Italian ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and his fellow crew members Joe Acaba, Randy Bresnik and Mark Vande Hei, will talk from orbit on the International Space Station with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Aula Paolo VI room, Vatican City.

Paolo is currently living aboard the station as part of the Italian Space Agency long duration mission VITA, which stands for Vitality, Innovation, Technology and Ability. The mission name was chosen by Italy’s space agency ASI, which is providing the mission through a barter agreement with NASA. Launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at the end of July, Paolo is working on the human outpost in space for about five months taking part in hundreds of scientific experiments. VITA’s extensive scientific programme includes experiments in biology, human physiology as well as space environment monitoring, materials science and technology demonstrations. All of the experiments make use of the out-of-this-world laboratory (including the European Columbus Laboratory) to improve life on Earth or prepare for further human exploration of our Solar System.
This is Paolo’s third space mission and third visit to the Space Station. He has already clocked 174 days in space with previous missions, one flight on a Space Shuttle in 2007 and a five-month in 2011. On his first mission Paolo took part in the building of the International Space Station - helping to install the Harmony module (known also as Node-2) whose delivery was essential in paving the way for the European Science Laboratory Columbus which arrived the following December.
When not performing science, Paolo, as part of a crew of five astronauts, will work with his colleagues to maintain the Space Station and keep the orbital outpost running smoothly for the crew of six. Paolo’s unique home will allow him to inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists.

Satellite Parameters:

HotBird 13°East Txp 89 Ch TELEPACE HD

D/l: 12476 MHz Polarisation X

Signal: HD 1080i/50 MPEG4 4:2:0 (H264) clear, SR 29.900 Ms/s FEC 3/4

Mod: DVBS2 8PSK Video PID 2041 Audio PID 2043

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