Peschiera Aims to Connect Live with ISS During Orbital Flyover
The Arma Aeronautica Association, Peschiera del Garda Nucleus, is exploring the possibility of organizing a rather unique event: a live audio and video connection with the newest orbiting space station, known by the abbreviation ISS. Perhaps less famous than the legendary Soviet station MIR, recently de-orbited into the ocean due to age, the ISS is a true technological citadel in space. Currently being assembled in modular stages, the international station will, in a few years, be the largest structure built by humans outside Earth’s atmosphere.
As of today, some habitable modules are operational, one of which hosted American billionaire Dennis Tito’s space trip a few weeks ago, launched into space with the support of the Russian Soyuz rocket. The ISS can dock both the American Shuttle and its Russian counterpart spacecraft. The ISS project includes numerous space missions, during which the orbital construction will be completed in full.
Transit and connection with Peschiera
The passing orbit includes a cyclical flyover of the space station over Peschiera: the visible transit across the lake’s celestial vault lasts typically only a few minutes. On clear starry nights, when the ISS is illuminated by the Sun outside Earth’s shadow cone, it can be seen clearly from the ground as a bright projectile crossing the sky from one horizon to the other.
The idea of the Peschiera aviators is this: during the few minutes of the station’s flyover over the town, in upcoming Shuttle missions, they aim to establish an audio-video link with the astronauts onboard. Italian Air Force pilots are training with NASA, who could be aboard in one of the next missions, as was previously done with Italian astronaut Maurizio Cheli, a former pilot of the Villafranca Third Wing.
If permitted by authorization, the Italian crew member onboard would likely be the official contact for the space greeting. The technical setup would be exciting: with support from the Civil Protection Amateur Radio Group, authorized to use ministerial frequencies, equipment and large directional antennas would be installed to ensure the audio connection.
Technological aspect and communications
Astrophysicist Paolo Bussola, director of the Astoradio Research Center, would activate a video channel via internet, capable of projecting images from inside the ISS onto a large screen. These images would be transmitted directly from Cape Canaveral through a secured, specially prepared encrypted channel for the evening. Astronauts would thus be able to greet Peschiera from over 400 km altitude, with a return greeting that could be relayed by Mayor Bruno Dalla Pellegrina, representing the town officially.
Brief moments, but of undeniable charm and appeal.
Logistics and future prospects
Regarding the technical feasibility of the event, on Wednesday evening, president of the aviators Enzo Monico held a preliminary confidential meeting with some aerospace sector experts; a subsequent meeting at Cape Canaveral Space Center in Florida might also be necessary. If all briefings yield positive results, the project will be officially presented to the competent authorities. In the best-case scenario, Peschiera could salute space as early as the upcoming months.