Italy's watchtower for International Space Station
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 6:36 pm
ROME, Italy (AP) -- A watchtower built for the International Space Station was turned over to the European Space Agency on Monday, the Italian aerospace company Alenia said.
The $25 million "Cupola" will be launched in orbit in 2009 and connected to the space station.
The watchtower, a pressurized aluminum structure, will allow a maximum of two astronauts at a time to have a complete exterior view through special anti-meteoric paneled windows.
The International Space Station relies on the scientific and technological resources of the United States, Canada, Japan and eleven European countries represented by the ESA.
Since the U.S. Columbia shuttle broke apart over Texas during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts, the station assembly has been on hold. Only Russian spacecraft have been used since the disaster, but now NASA said it is aiming for three shuttle flights in April 2005 and then five flights a year through 2010, by which time the station construction should be completed.
The watchtower will be transported to the ESA in Toulouse, France.
Archived topic from Anythingforums, old topic ID:974, old post ID:11459
The $25 million "Cupola" will be launched in orbit in 2009 and connected to the space station.
The watchtower, a pressurized aluminum structure, will allow a maximum of two astronauts at a time to have a complete exterior view through special anti-meteoric paneled windows.
The International Space Station relies on the scientific and technological resources of the United States, Canada, Japan and eleven European countries represented by the ESA.
Since the U.S. Columbia shuttle broke apart over Texas during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts, the station assembly has been on hold. Only Russian spacecraft have been used since the disaster, but now NASA said it is aiming for three shuttle flights in April 2005 and then five flights a year through 2010, by which time the station construction should be completed.
The watchtower will be transported to the ESA in Toulouse, France.
Archived topic from Anythingforums, old topic ID:974, old post ID:11459
