ArgoMoon: Italian CubeSat Technology to Record the Maiden Flight of SLS Towards the Moon

The ArgoMoon Nanosatellite, developed by the Italian company Argotec for the Italian Space Agency, will be launched in 2021, during the maiden flight of the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) named Artemis-1 mission. ArgoMoon will be the first microsatellite to be released by the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) and it will acquire significant pictures of ICPS itself. It will perform proximity flight around the secondary stage of the launcher by means of autonomous imaging and tracking subsystems, thus allowing the CubeSat to remain close to the target, in order to capture high resolution pictures with technical and outreach purposes. After this first phase, orbital manoeuvers will move the satellite in a geocentric highly elliptic orbit, whose apogee is high enough to allow flybys and imaging of the Moon and the surrounding environment. This second part of the mission will last six months prior to the CubeSat disposal in a heliocentric orbit. ArgoMoon mission will allow testing the platform in the severe environment of Deep Space, imposing severe propulsive maneuvers and long-distance communications. The technical solutions to meet challenging requirements and mission objectives have been implemented by Argotec in a robust CubeSat platform

LICIACube on DART Mission: An Asteroid Impact Captured by Italian Small Satellite Technology

In the frame of the Planetary Defense program, NASA developed the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and the Italian Space Agency joined the effort. DART’s spacecraft will act as a kinetic impactor by deliberately crashing into the moonlet of Didymos binary system (i.e. Didymos-B) while the effects of the impact will be observed by a small satellite, the Light Italian CubeSat for Imaging of Asteroid (LICIACube) and ground-based telescopes. LICIACube, an Italian Space Agency (ASI) mission, will fly with a relative velocity of approximately 6.5 km/s and it will document the effects of the impact, the crater and the evolution of the plume generated by the collision. LICIACube will have to maintain the asteroid\u27s pointing at an angular speed of approximately 10 deg/s to fly-by the asteroid close to the Didymos-B surface. The images acquired by LICIACube will be processed onboard through the autonomous navigation algorithm to identify the asteroid system and control the satellite attitude. They will also help the scientific community and provide feedback to the Planetary Defense program, pioneered by the Space Agencies. This deep-space mission is based on a small scale but highly technological platform, whose development is involving both the Italian technical and scientific community

The SSDC Role in the LICIACube Mission: Data Management and the MATISSE Tool

Light Italian Cubesat for Imaging of Asteroids (LICIACube) is an Italian mission managed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and part of the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) planetary defense mission. Its main goals are to document the effects of the DART impact on Dimorphos, the secondary member of the (65803) Didymos binary asteroid system, characterizing the shape of the target body and performing dedicated scientific investigations on it. Within this framework, the mission Science Operations Center will be managed by the Space Science Data Center (ASI-SSDC), which will have the responsibility of processing, archiving, and disseminating the data acquired by the two LICIACube onboard cameras. In order to better accomplish this task, SSDC also plans to use and modify its scientific webtool Multi-purpose Advanced Tool for Instruments for the solar system Exploration (MATISSE), making it the primary tool for the LICIACube data analysis, thanks to its advanced capabilities for searching and visualizing data, particularly useful for the irregular shapes common to several small bodies

Efficacy of a new technique - INtubate-RECruit-SURfactant-Extubate - "IN-REC-SUR-E" - in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Although beneficial in clinical practice, the INtubate-SURfactant-Extubate (IN-SUR-E) method is not successful in all preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome, with a reported failure rate ranging from 19 to 69 %. One of the possible mechanisms responsible for the unsuccessful IN-SUR-E method, requiring subsequent re-intubation and mechanical ventilation, is the inability of the preterm lung to achieve and maintain an "optimal" functional residual capacity. The importance of lung recruitment before surfactant administration has been demonstrated in animal studies showing that recruitment leads to a more homogeneous surfactant distribution within the lungs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare the application of a recruitment maneuver using the high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) modality just before the surfactant administration followed by rapid extubation (INtubate-RECruit-SURfactant-Extubate: IN-REC-SUR-E) with IN-SUR-E alone in spontaneously breathing preterm infants requiring nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) as initial respiratory support and reaching pre-defined CPAP failure criteria. Methods/design: In this study, 206 spontaneously breathing infants born at 24+0-27+6 weeks' gestation and failing nCPAP during the first 24 h of life, will be randomized to receive an HFOV recruitment maneuver (IN-REC-SUR-E) or no recruitment maneuver (IN-SUR-E) just prior to surfactant administration followed by prompt extubation. The primary outcome is the need for mechanical ventilation within the first 3 days of life. Infants in both groups will be considered to have reached the primary outcome when they are not extubated within 30 min after surfactant administration or when they meet the nCPAP failure criteria after extubation. Discussion: From all available data no definitive evidence exists about a positive effect of recruitment before surfactant instillation, but a rationale exists for testing the following hypothesis: a lung recruitment maneuver performed with a step-by-step Continuous Distending Pressure increase during High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (and not with a sustained inflation) could have a positive effects in terms of improved surfactant distribution and consequent its major efficacy in preterm newborns with respiratory distress syndrome. This represents our challenge. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02482766. Registered on 1 June 2015

Design of Thermal Exchange, a microgravity experiment on-board the International Space Station

The International Space Station was mainly thought as an orbiting research laboratory and, as such, it comprises several resources to test and validate new technologies to be used in future space missions. This paper presents the design and development of Thermal Exchange, a microgravity experiment that aims at on-orbit validation of low-toxicity heat pipe performance for thermal control of future spacecraft, both manned and unmanned. Tendency for future space systems points towards simplicity, limited maintenance needs and high reliability. In particular, vehicle thermal control should be based on passive systems, requiring low maintenance and very limited remote control. Accordingly, heat-pipes are good candidates for future spacecraft thermal control, due to their low complexity and maintenance requirement, as well as their high reliability. In this scenario, Thermal Exchange aims at the development of a payload for the demonstration, in microgravity conditions, of heat pipes and low toxicity working fluids, which would make it compatible with human applications (habitable modules) as well. Thermal Exchange is a sub-rack payload that will be operated inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on-board the International Space Station (ISS). Thermal Exchange consists of a main housing that accommodates the experiment and the avionics containers: the experiment container includes four axially grooved heat pipes filled with low-toxicity working fluids and mixtures, whereas the avionics container encloses three electronic boards to perform power management and distribution, health management and on-board data handling autonomously once on-board the ISS. Thermal Exchange will be launched with the Space-X 9 launch vehicle inside a half CTB (Cargo Transfer Bag). Thermal Exchange will be uninstalled and stowed at the end of the on-orbit operations and will re-enter with the Space-X 10 vehicle. This paper first provides a general overview of Thermal Exchange and the project schedule, including the operations to be carried out on the ISS. Then, it deals with the design and development of the ground and flight models. Main results are presented and discussed. Eventually main conclusions are drawn

THERMAL EXCHANGE: A PAYLOAD FOR TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS ON-BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

The International Space Station was mainly thought as an orbiting research laboratory and, as such, it comprises several resources to test and validate new technologies to be used in future space missions. This paper presents the progresses in the design and development process of Thermal Exchange, an experiment that aims at on-orbit validation of low-toxicity heat pipe performance for thermal control of future spacecraft, both manned and unmanned. Tendency for future space systems points towards simplicity, limited maintenance needs and high reliability. In particular, thermal control should be based on passive systems, requiring low maintenance and very limited remote control. Accordingly, heat-pipes are good candidates for future spacecraft thermal control, due to their low complexity and maintenance need, as well as their high reliability. In this scenario, Thermal Exchange aims at the development of a payload for the demonstration, in microgravity conditions, of heat pipes and low toxicity working fluids, which would make it compatible with human applications (habitable modules) as well. Thermal Exchange is a sub-rack payload that will be operated inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on-board the International Space Station (ISS). Thermal Exchange consists of a main housing that accommodates the experiment and the avionics containers: the experiment container includes four axially grooved heat pipes filled with low-toxicity working fluids and mixtures, whereas the avionics container encloses three electronic boards to perform power management and distribution, health management and on-board data handling autonomously once on-board the ISS. Thermal Exchange will be launched with SpaceX-9 launch vehicle in 2016 inside an half CTB (Cargo Transfer Bag). Thermal Exchange will be uninstalled and stowed at the end of the on-orbit operations and will re-entry on Earth with SpaceX-10 launch vehicle. This paper first provides a general overview of Thermal Exchange and the project schedule, including the operations to be carried out on the ISS. Then, it deals with the development of the ground and flight models, highlighting first the differences between the models and then focusing on the assembly integration and test of both models. Main results are presented and discussed. Eventually main conclusions are draw

Design of Thermal Exchange, a microgravity experiment on-board the International Space Station

The International Space Station was mainly thought as an orbiting research laboratory and, as such, it comprises several resources to test and validate new technologies to be used in future space missions. This paper presents the design and development of Thermal Exchange, a microgravity experiment that aims at on-orbit validation of low-toxicity heat pipe performance for thermal control of future spacecraft, both manned and unmanned. Tendency for future space systems points towards simplicity, limited maintenance needs and high reliability. In particular, vehicle thermal control should be based on passive systems, requiring low maintenance and very limited remote control. Accordingly, heat-pipes are good candidates for future spacecraft thermal control, due to their low complexity and maintenance requirement, as well as their high reliability. In this scenario, Thermal Exchange aims at the development of a payload for the demonstration, in microgravity conditions, of heat pipes and low toxicity working fluids, which would make it compatible with human applications (habitable modules) as well. Thermal Exchange is a sub-rack payload that will be operated inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on-board the International Space Station (ISS). Thermal Exchange consists of a main housing that accommodates the experiment and the avionics containers: the experiment container includes four axially grooved heat pipes filled with low-toxicity working fluids and mixtures, whereas the avionics container encloses three electronic boards to perform power management and distribution, health management and on-board data handling autonomously once on-board the ISS. Thermal Exchange will be launched with the Space-X 9 launch vehicle inside a half CTB (Cargo Transfer Bag). Thermal Exchange will be uninstalled and stowed at the end of the on-orbit operations and will re-enter with the Space-X 10 vehicle. This paper first provides a general overview of Thermal Exchange and the project schedule, including the operations to be carried out on the ISS. Then, it deals with the design and development of the ground and flight models. Main results are presented and discussed. Eventually main conclusions are drawn

THERMAL EXCHANGE: A PAYLOAD FOR TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS ON-BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

The International Space Station was mainly thought as an orbiting research laboratory and, as such, it comprises several resources to test and validate new technologies to be used in future space missions. This paper presents the progresses in the design and development process of Thermal Exchange, an experiment that aims at on-orbit validation of low-toxicity heat pipe performance for thermal control of future spacecraft, both manned and unmanned. Tendency for future space systems points towards simplicity, limited maintenance needs and high reliability. In particular, thermal control should be based on passive systems, requiring low maintenance and very limited remote control. Accordingly, heat-pipes are good candidates for future spacecraft thermal control, due to their low complexity and maintenance need, as well as their high reliability. In this scenario, Thermal Exchange aims at the development of a payload for the demonstration, in microgravity conditions, of heat pipes and low toxicity working fluids, which would make it compatible with human applications (habitable modules) as well. Thermal Exchange is a sub-rack payload that will be operated inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on-board the International Space Station (ISS). Thermal Exchange consists of a main housing that accommodates the experiment and the avionics containers: the experiment container includes four axially grooved heat pipes filled with low-toxicity working fluids and mixtures, whereas the avionics container encloses three electronic boards to perform power management and distribution, health management and on-board data handling autonomously once on-board the ISS. Thermal Exchange will be launched with SpaceX-9 launch vehicle in 2016 inside an half CTB (Cargo Transfer Bag). Thermal Exchange will be uninstalled and stowed at the end of the on-orbit operations and will re-entry on Earth with SpaceX-10 launch vehicle. This paper first provides a general overview of Thermal Exchange and the project schedule, including the operations to be carried out on the ISS. Then, it deals with the development of the ground and flight models, highlighting first the differences between the models and then focusing on the assembly integration and test of both models. Main results are presented and discussed. Eventually main conclusions are drawn