Space Projects Still Get Go Ahead

Even though Italy's space budget stayed flat for 2010.

A First For Astronaut

Roberto Vittori will become the first Italian astronaut flown to the International Space Station on a Russian spacecraft.

Italian Flavor In Space

Italy has a long history dating back centuries in space exploration. Will try and shed light on it over the next couple of posts.

Let's start with the Vega rocket. Though a collaboration (as usally is the case with space initiatives) with other ESA members France, Spain, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium, the Italians make up 65% of the project. Its mission is to study earth's low and polar orbits.

It is anticipated, though testing is in full flight, to launch in November, 2010.