LOW EARTH ORBIT
When we look at our planet from the perspective of the surface, we see diversity, even chaos… When astronauts look at it from orbit or the Moon, they see unity. It is the same planet, seen from a different perspective. – Frank White
SPACE RIDER OPERATIONS
Leveraging on the heritage of the IXV mission and on the experience gathered in the frame of ISS and data processing activities, ALTEC supports the missions of SPACE RIDER (ESA unmanned platform, derived from IXV), encompassing the roles of Payload and Landing Control Center. ALTEC is the gateway for all Payloads onboard SPACE DRIVER, guaranteeing a safe return and landing of the spacecraft and its cargo.
ISS SUSTAINING ENGINEERING
ALTEC provides engineering support services to ASI for activities related to the “Permanent Multipurpose Module” (PMM) docked to the International Space Station. The support is provided by the PMM engineering team through the ALTEC “Mission Support Center” (MSC) connected to the NASA Mission Control Center in Houston, via the ASINet network. ALTEC MSC also supports the Orbital CYGNUS mission.
ISS EXPLOITATION
ALTEC is responsible for providing directly to ESA the Training, Logistics and Operations Support Services for the ISS. Moreover, ALTEC operates one of the ISS “Engineering Support Centers” (ESC). The ESC is connected via the IGS-ESA network to the Columbus Control Center in Germany, and through it to all ISS European centers.
ISS OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES
In the frame of the TLO program, ALTEC is responsible to support important activities, critical to European ISS operations: Product Assurance and Safety, Increment Management, Technology Payloads Ops. The support is provided by ALTEC personnel from various sites: ALTEC/ITALY, EAC-COLUMBUS CONTROL CENTER/GERMANY, ESTEC,HOLLAND.
ISS EUROPEAN LOGISTCS CENTER
In the frame of the Integrated Logistics Support provided to ESA elements on ISS, ALTEC operates as Ground Logistics Center. ALTEC is responsible for Logistics Engineering Support, Inventory of on ground and on orbit assets, Launch Packaging Preparation and Execution, Ground Logistics Support and Transportation, Spare Management and Warehousing.
CREW TRAINING
ALTEC is responsible for ISS Training Services to ESA. Global Technical coordination and selected tasks are carried out by ALTEC instructors who work on a permanent basis at the ESA European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.
COLUMBUS FLIGHT CONTROL TEAM
ALTEC supports the activities of the Columbus Control Centre (Col-CC) in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, Germany, through its permanent staff responsible for the Flight Director and Columbus System stations and the management of on-board computers.
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT
ALTEC provides engineering support to ASI for the management and implementation of research activities on board of the International Space Station (currently two Italian experiments of Medicine and Biotechnology: SPACE TO AMYLOIDS and AUDIO), supports the missions of Italian astronauts and provides European bonus food.