Another load of more than 2000 kg, including supplies for the crew, spare parts and experiments for the astronauts of the International Space Station (ISS) will be assured by the 3rd PCM (Pressurized Cargo Module) cargo module developed in Italy for the Cygnus space transportation service.

It was indeed delivered yesterday by Thales Alenia Space to the customer Orbital Sciences Coorporation, the third pressurized Cygnus PCM module. This is the second last unit in "standard" configuration to arrive at the launch site of Wallops, Virginia, before being integrated with the appropriate Service Module and then launched next May 2014.

In the clean rooms of Thales Alenia Space in Turin, where the company undergoes development, integration and testing aseptic activities, it continues the implementation of other 5 modules in "enhanced" configuration that will carry up to 2700 kg. Given the extension of the operating life of the ISS until 2024, the Italian space Agency's goal for the future will not only be to optimize transport but more over the survival of the man in space and the autonomous production of food and fuel.