OREANDA-NEWS. Volga-Dnepr Airlines' expertise in the movement of space cargoes has been called upon once again to transport the Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) of the Cygnus resupply spacecraft from Turin, Italy, to Wallops Island, USA.

The PCM was packed into a special container and was carried onboard the airline's An-124-100 'Ruslan' freighter along with supporting equipment to the launch site in Virginia State. Experts from Thales Alenia Space Italia, which produced the PCM, accompanied the cargo to monitor the special temperature conditions required during the transportation.

The flight was the third completed by Volga-Dnepr carrying modules of the Cygnus spacecraft, following earlier deliveries in August 2011 and July 2013. The contract was completed within the Ruslan International An-124 joint venture on behalf of SDV Logistique International, a longstanding customer of Ruslan International.

The Cygnus resupply spacecraft was developed by the Orbital Sciences Corporation, USA, under the NASA program for 'Commercial Orbital Transportation Services' to ship supplies to the International Space Station.