1992
Space milestones
The first missions with Russian partners take place
In October, BIOPAN-0 flies on Foton-8; in December, Bion-10 launches with the first BIOBOX mission. For Kayser, these experiences consolidate the transition from industrial electronics to experimentation in microgravity and require increasingly close engagement with the safety, reliability and international cooperation requirements of space missions.
The team begins to grow
In 1992, Alessandro Donati joins Kayser, destined to become one of the company’s key figures. His arrival accompanies a period of growth in which the first missions strengthen the Livorno-based company’s role in collaborations with agencies, research centres and international partners.
The first exoplanets are confirmed
The discovery of the first confirmed planets outside the Solar System, orbiting pulsar PSR B1257+12, is announced.
Franco Malerba, the first Italian in space
In 1992, Franco Malerba becomes the first Italian to fly in space. His mission marks a symbolic moment for Italian astronautics, while Kayser consolidates its path in space experimentation.
Missions & Payloads
BION 10
Bion-10, also known as Cosmos 2229, is a bioscience mission in low Earth orbit. It hosts international experiments dedicated to studying the effects of microgravity and radiation on living organisms.
BIOBOX 1
BIOBOX 1 is an automatic, programmable biological laboratory equipped with temperature control, data acquisition and a centrifuge capable of generating artificial gravity of 1 g. This configuration allows samples exposed to microgravity to be compared with control samples maintained at 1 g. The laboratory makes its first flight on the Russian Bion-10 capsule, also known as Cosmos 2229, between December 1992 and January 1993, hosting European cell biology experiments. Kayser Italia participates as a subcontractor, handling, among other activities, the control and power electronics, electronics housing and ground support equipment.
FOTON 8
Recoverable orbital capsule dedicated to experiments in microgravity. It carried BIOPAN-0, a European demonstrator for exposing samples to the space environment.
BIOPAN 0
BIOPAN-0 is the initial demonstrator of an external facility designed to expose biological samples and materials to the space environment. Once in orbit, a lid opens to expose the experiments to vacuum, solar and cosmic radiation, ultraviolet rays and atomic oxygen, before closing again prior to re-entry. The demonstrator flies in October 1992 on the recoverable Foton-8 capsule, with the aim of verifying the operation of the platform and several pilot experiments. The design and construction of this first version are entrusted to Kayser-Threde.