Cygnus: ok launch of the spacecraft to the ISS private - Corriere della Sera

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From the base of Wallops Island, Va.

Cygnus: ok launch of the spacecraft to the ISS private

Made with the Italian contribution. Bring supplies to the International Space Station

from our correspondent JOHN CAPRARA
Wallops Island (Virginia) – Cygnus, the first private spacecraft automatic Italian-American, quiet flying towards the International Space Station ISS bringing the necessary supplies. The reach Sunday, September 22, after an intense chase cosmic than four days, and will be our astronaut Luca Parmitano to capture it with the robotic arm of the base attaching it securely. Cygnus is the new spacecraft designed to bring about the cosmic house that serves the astronauts and their activities in addition to the need for the maintenance of large orbital architecture. It is already operational Dragon capsule of Space while Cygnus X is made by Orbital Science Corp. But the game has also entered Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy that generates the bulk of the pressurized module that contains the supplies.

Cygnus: launch ok

Into The successful launch important is betting on future orders NASA to ensure the life of the station until 2028. This today was the first flight that was to demonstrate the operation of the spacecraft after the new Antares carrier that brought her into orbit had already proved himself last April.

The launch took place on time at 10:58 local time (16:58 in Italy) slipping to a narrow launch window of just 7 minutes. After 602 seconds to 249 kilometers high, when the second stage of the carrier had consumed its propellant in a little more than two minutes ensuring the necessary speed, Cygnus is peeling from Antares and was projected to the station. The orbit was conquered for the first time. Everything on board was responding well and also the critical moment of the opening of the panels of solar cells which power the vessel took place without obstacles. The journey began carrying on board 700 kilograms of supplies (food, clothing and equipment). During the ascent to a camera installed outside the space of the vector showed a rapid ascent while the marshes, the loops of water and islands, which surround the launch base Wallops Island revealed all environmental suggestion of the place from which it was game: it is a large bird park where vegetation and wild horses are free expression. An ideal place in the winter than during the season of migration becomes staging area for thousands of ducks, geese and swans on their way to their goal. With this launch the base of Wallops Island, the oldest of NASA, consolidates its new frontier tied to the private space launches, but continues even scientific activities that have characterized so far. In the past week from here is also playing a probe to study the atmosphere of the Moon.

Cygnus is one step ahead in the technology space transportation and in this niche Italy typing it. “It ‘s perspective – says Elysium Pret te, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italy – guaranteeing profits and jobs of high capacity while maintaining our international competitiveness in the field of housing modules consolidated over time.” Cygnus will remain docked to the space station for thirty days, and downloaded the precious cargo will be filled with garbage and useless things accumulated on the base. Then will come off and will be precipitated into the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean disintegrating without damage. This December is already provided on the second trip of Cygnus and eight programmed will run out by 2016. But then the story will continue.

Giovanni Caprara