| A glass dome for the International Space Station |
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The company Thales Alenia Space has accepted the challenge of technology launched in 1998 by the European Space Agency for the project dome transparent to the International Space Station. Until now, the astronauts to the ISS could see outside through narrow cracks. Now they can enjoy a panoramic view of the universe during the operations."Here in Turin, we have built more than 50% of the pressurized space, ie livable by astronauts on the station says Dino Brontolo, director of infrastructure programs of Thales Alenia Space. At the completion of project, the three-dimensional shape of the dome has posed several problems: the angular structure should be light, tight, and resist the stress due to its unusual shape. But most of the station is made of thin sheets of flexible metal. But the glass is fragile, and the metal structure of the dome had to be rigid where the panels might be break.The dome from a single block of aluminum alloy produced with special machines to give it shape and thickness. The metal was first placed in a press, then 80% of the block was thrown while cutting machines in the dome aluminum hardened. The process lasted more than 2 months. Before the glass can be installed, the technicians tapped structure carved with tubes pumping the water hot or cold to compensate for the heat or cold outside, and to maintain the aluminum at a temperature and a constant shape. They then put titanium fasteners and rubber filled the seven windows before inserting the four layers of glass on each side of the dome. It was the best solution for a surface glass and to maintain maximum established between the different layers of glass with extreme rigid. This allows you to withstand cosmic extraordinary conditions "at the same time a light structure, as in the space, weight account, "said Luigi Maria Quaglino director of the institution to Thales Alenia Turin. The dome weighs 1680 kilograms, has a diameter of about 2 meters and 1.5 meters in height , with side windows and 6 a window exceeding protected by walls opened and closed by the crew in terms of operations and to achieve to protect from damage. Inherently, the dome bear the presence of two astronauts. "In the making, it was thought to emotional demands of men forced to live for months in cramped quarters, and the dome is a psychological link between the station and Earth "says Brondolo. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) will install the dome between late 2009 and early 2010 on the module Nodo 3. In total on the Space Station international projects Thales Alenia amount to 2 billion euros, including the dome of an amount of 25 million. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 18 February 2009 ) |
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