2001
Space milestones
HPA/ELITE gets under way
The HPA/ELITE project begins in October. The availability of payload capacity and astronaut time from ASI requires a proposal at short notice: Kayser develops it together with other companies and the scientific community. Speed of response characterises the project, with less than a year between its start and the delivery planned for 2002.
The first space tourist
Dennis Tito reaches the ISS, becoming the first space tourist to fund his own journey. The experience opens new prospects for private participation in spaceflight.
The ISS enters its scientific phase
Research activities develop aboard the International Space Station while assembly and laboratory outfitting continue. The continuous presence of crews makes it possible to conduct experiments and monitor scientific systems over time.
Missions & Payloads
BIRBA
Stratospheric balloon campaign dedicated to biological and biomedical experiments on the effects of cosmic radiation in the upper atmosphere.
HPA
Experimental system developed by Kayser Italia for the Italian Space Agency, under the scientific responsibility of Valfredo Zolesi. It studies how microgravity changes motor coordination, strength and fatigue in the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm. The system acquires kinematic and force data during grasping and reaching movements. Its components include a sensor-equipped glove, the Posture Acquisition Glove (PAG), to measure finger flexion and movement.
A300
Parabolic flight campaign aboard the Airbus A300 Zero-G, dedicated to scientific and technological experimentation during brief periods of microgravity.
BIRBA
Incubator system developed to host biological and physics experiments during ASI stratospheric balloon flights. In 2001, the incubators from the first campaigns are upgraded with more precise thermal control, data loggers, quartz windows and motorised shutters to expose samples selectively to radiation. The experiments mainly concern cosmic radiation and its biological effects, with dosimetric measurements and studies of human lymphocytes, Xenopus laevis development and biosensors. Experiments include TROPALO II, UVTOXPA and REFUSED. The BIRBA1 and BIRBA2 configurations are prepared in the same year. A balloon problem during the BIRBA2 flight makes it necessary to repeat the flight with the same configuration in 2002.