{"id":118349,"date":"2011-05-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-05-09T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2011-05-09T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-05-09T00:00:00","slug":"i-was-in-cape-canaveral-it-was-an-indescribable-feeling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.varesenews.it\/2011\/05\/i-was-in-cape-canaveral-it-was-an-indescribable-feeling\/118349\/","title":{"rendered":"“I was in Cape Canaveral; it was an indescribable feeling.”"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\"\""<\/span><\/span>There was disappointment<\/span>, there’s<\/span> no denying it<\/span><\/b>.<\/span> But the<\/span> thrill of<\/span> that<\/span> moment<\/span> was<\/span> priceless<\/span>." <\/span>Marco<\/b><\/span> Airaghi<\/span><\/b>, from Saronno,<\/span> was present<\/span> in Cape<\/span> Canaveral<\/span> last<\/span> weekend<\/span>, when<\/span> the Shuttle should have taken off, carrying the Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori<\/b> to an orbiting space station.<\/span><\/p>\n

Airaghi, who, last January, was appointed, by merit, Major<\/b> of the Aeronautical Corps by the President of the Republic, Giorgio<\/span> Napolitano<\/span>, was present in his role of Vice Chairman of the<\/span> Italian<\/span> Space Agency<\/span><\/b>, and advisor<\/span> to the Minister<\/span> of Defence<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

After<\/span><\/span> a<\/span> technical fault,<\/span> the<\/span> launch<\/b><\/span> was cancelled<\/span> and scheduled<\/span> for<\/span> May 8<\/span><\/b>. "<\/span>Even though<\/span> I think<\/span> it’s unlikely we’ll be able<\/span> to<\/span> take off on that<\/span> date<\/span><\/b>,”<\/span> Airaghi<\/span> explains.<\/span> “When I spoke to him, Vittori<\/span> also<\/span> seemed rather<\/span> doubtful. The<\/span> fault<\/span>, which was possibly due to<\/span> lightning that struck the<\/span> Shuttle<\/span> the night<\/span> before the launch<\/span>, is<\/span> serious; one of the command boxes of the Shuttle’s stabilisers<\/b> was damaged. There were<\/span> the reserves,<\/span> but the<\/span> security procedure<\/span> forced<\/span> us to postpone the launch<\/span>. The tests<\/span> on this<\/span> equipment need time<\/span>, I don’t think<\/span> we’ll be ready for May 8<\/span>."<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It is not<\/span><\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> time that<\/span> Airaghi<\/span> has gone to<\/span> NASA<\/span>: "It’s<\/span> the<\/span> fourth<\/span> time,” he says.<\/span> “I had already<\/b><\/span> seen<\/span> the launch<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> shuttle<\/span> a few<\/span> months<\/span> ago<\/span><\/b>. It was<\/span> an unforgettable experience<\/span>, an<\/span> event of<\/span> such power. It was<\/span> night-time<\/span>, suddenly<\/span> the sky<\/span> turned<\/span> blue<\/span>, even though<\/span> it was six kilometres away<\/span>, then I heard the<\/span> noise<\/span> and felt the pressure wave. A <\/span>huge thrill. It would have been fantastic to r<\/span>epeat<\/span> that sensation the other<\/span> day,<\/span> also when I think<\/span> that there was a personal friend<\/b>, and qualified Air Force officer on board<\/span>."<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Airaghi<\/span><\/span>, has always remained in<\/span> contact with<\/span> Vittori. <\/span>"<\/span>I spoke to him two<\/span> hours before the<\/span> flight,<\/span> he was ready<\/span> and,<\/span> as the<\/span> time<\/span> of the flight<\/span> drew near, he became tense<\/span>, because a launch<\/b><\/span> is<\/span> always risky<\/span><\/b>. There<\/span> are<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> two minutes,<\/span> when<\/span> the shuttle<\/span> is<\/b><\/span> without<\/span> human control<\/span><\/b>. He was<\/span> tense<\/span>, but calm and<\/span> convinced.<\/span> The<\/span> day<\/span> after the<\/span> postponement<\/span>, I<\/span> could hear he was drained<\/b><\/span>, and subdued<\/b>. Evidently<\/span> the<\/span> fall in adrenaline<\/span> was<\/span> being felt<\/span>. He hoped to<\/span> see his <\/span>family soon."<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Over the last few days,<\/span><\/span> Airaghi<\/span>, who has returned<\/span> to<\/span> Italy<\/span>, and<\/span> Vittori<\/span>, who has stayed in the United States<\/span>, have communicated only with text messages. "<\/span>I’d like to see<\/span> Roberto<\/span> go to the<\/b><\/span> orbiting space station<\/span><\/b>,” he explains, “but<\/span> we still don’t<\/span> know<\/span> the<\/span> date with any certainty;<\/span> I don’t know<\/span> if<\/span> I can<\/span> be there<\/span>. But<\/span> it’s only<\/b><\/span> a wait<\/span>, a<\/span> postponement<\/b>. "<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

However, there is<\/span><\/span> a<\/b><\/span> small<\/span> disappointment<\/span><\/b>, due to the<\/span> fact<\/span> that<\/span> there is another<\/span> Italian astronaut<\/span> in<\/span> space<\/span>, Paolo<\/span> Nespoli<\/span>, and<\/span> he should return<\/span> on 25 May<\/span><\/b>. "<\/span>It would have been fantastic<\/span> to be<\/span> one<\/span> of the<\/span> few<\/span> countries in the<\/span> world<\/span> to have<\/span> two astronauts<\/span> in space<\/span> at the same time<\/span>. But it’s<\/span> a<\/span> small point. We’re looking<\/b><\/span> forward<\/span> to the<\/span> new<\/span> launch<\/span><\/b>."<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Marco Airaghi, the assistant director of the Italian Space Agency, was present at the launch attempt of the Space Shuttle, with Roberto Vittori on board, which was postponed. “It\u2019s unlikely to take place on May 8 as scheduled.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n"I was in Cape Canaveral; it was an indescribable feeling."<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Marco Airaghi, the assistant director of the Italian Space Agency, was present at the launch attempt of the Space Shuttle, with Roberto Vittori on board, which was postponed. 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