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The INTEGRAL (International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) program is an ESA observatory scientific satellite to be used for gamma ray astronomy, while ARTEMIS (Advanced Data Relay and Technology Mission) is an ESA program to be used for data relay and technology demonstration. ARTEMIS was launched on the 12th of July 2001 with an Ariane V launcher from CSG, after successful completion of the System Environmental test campaign at ESTEC including Solar Simulation Thermal Balance tests on PFM (1998). INTEGRAL has been successfully launched on the 17th of October 2002 with a Proton launcher from Baikonour Cosmodrome, after completion of the System Environmental test campaign at ESTEC including Solar Simulation Thermal Balance tests on STM (1998) and PFM (2002).

Integral (INTErnational Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) is an ESA observatory scientific satellite to be used for gamma ray astronomy, while Artemis (Advanced Relay and TEchnology MISsion) is an ESA program to be used for data relay and technology demonstration. Both programs have been recently submitted to a System Environmental test campaign including extensive Thermal Balance tests with Solar Simulation performed in the Large Solar Simulation (LSS) chamber at ESTEC Noordwijk in 1998. Alenia Spazio, who has the role of Prime Contractor for both programs at Torino and Rome premises respectively for Integral and Artemis, is responsible of the Thermal Control of the satellites and the relevant verification aspects.

Due to the importance of the pollution of cars, buses and tracks from Diesel engines, the “Centro Sviluppo Materiali” of Rome has studied a particular device for the electrostatic precipitation and the combustion of the particulate from exhaust gases (MEA). After the study and the construction of the device, many tests controlled by the Ministry of Transport both on engines of 2500 cc and 9600 cc have been undertaken. The reliability tests were carried out on a urban and extra-urban buses. The results of tests can be summarized as follows: a) the back pressure values obtained by using MEA are always lower than a standard silencer, while High Voltage Power Supply does not affect the other electronics on the vehicle; b) (tests made upon a 2500 cc engine), the decreasing capacity of the Bosch smoke has been lower at high revolutions per minute. Anyway reduction average value of the smoke has been about 60%.