The AGILE Mission

AGILE is an Italian Space Agency mission dedicated to observing the gamma-ray Universe. The AGILE's very innovative instrumentation for the first time combines a gamma-ray imager (sensitive in the energy range 30 MeV-50 GeV), a hard X-ray imager (sensitive in the range 18-60 keV), a calorimeter (sensitive in the range 350 keV-100 MeV), and an anticoincidence system. AGILE was successfully launched on 2007 April 23 from the Indian base of Sriharikota and was inserted in an equatorial orbit with very low particle background. Aims. AGILE provides crucial data for the study of active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, pulsars, unidentified gamma-ray sources, galactic compact objects, supernova remnants, TeV sources, and fundamental physics by microsecond timing. Methods. An optimal sky angular positioning (reaching 0.1 degrees in gamma- rays and 1-2 arcmin in hard X-rays) and very large fields of view (2.5 sr and 1 sr, respectively) are obtained by the use of Silicon detectors integrated in a very compact instrument. Results. AGILE surveyed the gamma- ray sky and detected many Galactic and extragalactic sources during the first months of observations. Particular emphasis is given to multifrequency observation programs of extragalactic and galactic objects. Conclusions. AGILE is a successful high-energy gamma-ray mission that reached its nominal scientific performance. The AGILE Cycle-1 pointing program started on 2007 December 1, and is open to the international community through a Guest Observer Program

lA CORRUZIONE TRA PRIVATI: NOTE INTRODUTTIVE SULL'ESPERIENZA ITALIANA

Il lavoro ricostruisce il panorama normativo dell'ordinamento italiano in materia di corruzione nel settore privato, individuando le diverse fattispecie incriminatrici ispirate da una simile esigenze di tutela

TESTING THE LARES SEPARATION SYSTEM BREADBOARDS

LARES is a laser ranged satellite designed for testing a particular effect derived from general relativity: the Lense-Thirring effect. The Italian Space Agency has financed the mission in February 2008. The European Space Agency will provide the qualification launch of VEGA foreseen in year 2010. The high density of LARES will make the satellite, once in orbit, the most dense orbiting object known in the solar system. This peculiarity has some implications on the development of the separation system and the whole supporting subsystem. In fact the satellite cannot be positioned right at the launcher interface but must be located about one meter above it so that the position of its centre of mass can be representative of that one of a more typical satellite. But the main problem is represented by the high level of acceleration combined with the scientific requirements that allow only minimal impact on the satellite surface. In the qualification process the approach from parts to system has been followed. Two breadboards have been developed. The first one has been manufactured and the final test results will be presented. The reasoning behind the second breadboard will be described along with a drawing showing the hardware required to perform the test

Fibre optic sensors for the validation of the numerical simulation on the breadboard of the LARES separation system

Fibre optic sensor technology is relatively new and in the last ten years its use is becoming common in many fields of engineering. The properties of optical fibre sensors make them very promising for use on space structures. They are immune from electromagnetic interferences, resistant to chemical corrosion, compatible with the space environmental conditions. Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBG) are particularly interesting because they can be multiplexed along the same fibre. Those sensors are basically optical strain gages with many advantages over the conventional ones. In the paper it is proposed the use of those sensors for correlating experimental finite element analysis on the contact point of the separation system with LARES satellite. LARES satellite is spherical and no protruding parts are allowed on its surface. This requirement calls for a special separation system that has four contact points on the satellite surface. To counteract forces acting on the satellite during the launch phase, for the purpose of preventing accidental detachment of the separation system components from the satellite surface, a significant preload force is applied to the satellite through those four contact points. Concern about the admissibility of the consequent contact pressures arose. A direct measurement of the pressures on those contact points seems unfeasible and the purpose of the paper is to investigate the possibility of deriving the local value of the pressure by measuring with FBG sensors the strain on an accessible nearby area