04:43 pm - Tuesday
ESA delivered ISS's Node 3 and Cupola to NASA
Rome, Italy - The two elements, both built in Italy, will be docked to the Station in February
(WAPA) - Two more pieces of Europe, and of Italy in particular, are getting ready to join the ISS (International Space Station). Twelve years of design, development and hard work came to fruition with the formal handover of Node 3 from ESA to NASA on 20 November. The ceremony took place in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA.
The handover completed the final major element of the barter agreement between ESA and NASA signed in Turin (Italy) on 8 October 1997 under which ESA provided Nodes 2 and 3 plus additional equipment and knowhow in return for transportation of the European Columbus Laboratory to the ISS by Space Shuttle. Both Node 2 and the Columbus laboratory have been performing well in orbit as key elements of the ISS since October 2007 and February 2008, respectively. Node 2 was docked to the ISS in 2007 during the Esperia mission with astronaut Paolo Nespoli, and had been built under ASI (Italian Space Agency) supervision. Both nodes, as the Columbus, build on the blueprints of MPLM logistic modules designed by ASI and built by former Alenia Spazio (now Thales Alenia Space).
Node 3, which was named Tranquility by NASA, will house a variety of systems and equipment covering oxygen generation, air purification and water recovery, as well as avionics equipment to control Node 3; a treadmill and a resistive exercise device to act as conditioning and exercise equipment for the ISS crew; and a Waste and Hygiene Compartment. In addition, one of Node 3's docking ports will be used as the connecting point for the Cupola observation module. (Avionews)
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Direttore Clara Moschini