ALTEC S.p.A.

ALTEC is the Italian center of excellence operating in an international context for the provision of hi-tech engineering services relevant to operations and utilization of the International Space Station (ISS), other space infrastructure, and in support of future robotic and manned planetary exploration.

In 2001 ASI - Italian Space Agency, Alenia Spazio (now Thales Alenia Space) and the Icarus consortium (51% Piedmont Local Government and 49% Leonardo Company), formed ALTEC with the task to assign the management and industrial operations of the Multifunctional Space Center (CMFS) and the activities of engineering support that ASI committed to providing to NASA as per the bilateral agreement.

ALTEC provides engineering support to ESA for the European Columbus laboratory and contributes to the training of European astronauts. In addition, ALTEC provides support services to the flight of Italian astronauts and experiments to the International Space Station and promotes its utilization opportunities.Using the expertise and the infrastructure of the Center, ALTEC has acquired contracts for the processing of the scientific data of the ESA program GAIA and the design, development and future operations of the Exomars Rover Operations Control Centre (ROCC).

ALTEC participates in research programs aimed to the development of innovative products and tools for the environmental monitoring (SMAT) and planetary exploration (STEPS). ALTEC has an important role in promoting space culture through the organization of exhibitions and events, Space Gallery guided tours. ALTEC is now the Prime Contractor for the most relevant ASI programmes dedicated to the ISS, for the provision of sustaining engineering to the MPLM logistics modules fleet and for the participation to the main Italian and European projects related to the ISS utilization and planetary exploration.

ALTEC, as responsible for the management and operations of the CMFS, offers the followings:
• Engineering services and logistics support for  space infrastructure;
• Archiving services, distribution and data processing for scientific applications, environmental protection and training aimed at space agencies and institutions, government agencies and the scientific and academic community;
• A Mars and Moon Terrain Demonstrator to test the development of exploration technologies; Technical areas where temperature, humidity, air and environment cleanliness are controlled and kept within predefined limits: a Green Room (class 500,000) and a Clean Room (class 100,000) of approximately 900 square meters each;
• The Neutral Buoyancy Test Facility (NBTF) to allow the simulation of activities typical of a reduced gravity environment. It can also be  utilized for research and development in industrial, scientific and medical fields, training of Institutional Organization personnel, testing of diving equipment and education;
• Services for promotion, training and  dissemination of scientific and technological space activities and dedicates areas for the preparation of exhibitions and workshops (eg. auditorium, exhibition hall).