The USV, Italy's First Space Vehicle, launched (Forwarded)
Andrew Yee
Capua, Italy
PRESS RELEASE: 26th February 2007
The USV, Italy's First Space Vehicle, launched
On 24th February morning the USV, the first Unmanned Italian Space Vehicle,
successfully completed its first mission. The USV (Unmanned Space Vehicle)
was designed as a sophisticated research lab by CIRA (Italian Centre for
Aerospace Research) and created in collaboration with important Italian
industries in the sector.
The launch took place at 8:30 a.m. from Tortolairport in Sardinia, next to
the Poligono Interforze di Salto di Quirra (PISQ). The mission ended at
10:30 a.m. with the splash-down of the space vehicle, in an isolated sea
zone controlled by PISQ.
The CIRA team, which took care of setting up the aircraft, the details of
the mission and directing operations inside the airport, has been ready for
the launch since 24th January; awaiting suitable weather conditions in order
to give the green light to the operations. The right weather conditions came
about last Saturday in the early morning when it was decided to begin
inflating the stratospheric balloon which was to transport the aircraft,
without a propeller, to an altitude of 21 km. Set up in a vertical position,
thanks to a verticalization system, the aircraft was hooked up to the
balloon and started its ascent, which lasted 2 hours, and which took it
first to a floating altitude of 31 km and subsequently, once the safety area
had been reached, to the established releasing altitude. Here the aircraft
was released and it was left to fall at a speed which reached Mach 1.05.
During the descent, which lasted a total of 70 seconds, to an altitude
between 16 and 10 km, the experimental phase was carried out, or rather a
maneuver in transonic conditions carried out fully automatically by the
on-board computer with the acquisition of great deal of aero-structural and
aerodynamic scientific data. The more than 500 sensors (among pressure
heads, structural sensors and accelerometers), with which the aircraft is
equipped, enabled the registration and the transmission to Earth of an
enormous quantity of data, which will be extremely useful for further
expected developments of the program. A three-stage parachute system
permitted the aircraft to splash-down.
In short, this is a description of the carrying out of the mission, the
objective of which was to simulate the final part of a space vehicle's
re-entry into the atmosphere.
The execution of this first mission saw massive involvement on the part of
government bodies such as The Italian Space Agency (ASI), the CNR, the
Italian Air Force, the Italian Navy, ENAC/ENAV, the port authorities and the
European Space Agency (ESA). At an industrial level, the following
organizations participated: Alcatel Alenia Spazio Italia, Carlo Gavazzi
Space, Vitrociset, Space Software Italia, Techno System dev., ISL, DEMA and
Marotta.
The USV program proposes the investigation of the complex phases of
hypersonic flight in the atmosphere and upon re-entry into the atmosphere,
in order to fine tune some of the principal technology and methodologies
used. This will allow our enterprises to develop the operational aircraft of
the future with high maneuverability during atmospheric flight.
The USV program, and in particular the first two aircraft built, Castore
(Castor) and Polluce (Pollux), which currently alternate flights, are the
only example in the world of operational space demonstrators currently in
use. Initiated in 2002, the program is forecast to reach completion in 2012.
The cost, extremely limited compared to the investment usually required in
this sector, is 179 million Euros [USD 235 million], of which 86.7 were
financed by PRORA (National Aerospace Research Program) and 80 by PASN
(National Aerospace Plan).
"First and foremost I would like to thank and congratulate the integrated
team, headed by CIRA, which, with great professionalism, has achieved such
important results for our Nation. The remarkable scientific skill and the
cutting edge structures which CIRA has managed to set up in very few years,
together with vital collaboration of Italian companies in the sector, as
well as other research groups," said SERGIO VETRELLA, the President of CIRA,
"have allowed us to initiate a program which other countries have
relinquished, taking the first steps towards the development of technology
which will lead to a new generation of aerospace transport. Furthermore,
this first USV mission, made possible by the collaboration between a
research center and small, medium and large enterprises, and the fundamental
support of many institutions, proves how the Italian System has worked
perfectly and possesses great potential."