The
Good Life
 The life that Italian Dino Brondolo lives is one
we'd all like to have. He has spent the last nine years building
Multipurpose Pressurized
Logistics Modules (MPLMs) for the exciting space station program.
On weekends, he retreats to the pastoral family vineyard in Torino,
Italy, where he continues a tradition of winemaking. Dedicated
fully to both endeavors, he is equally proud of the results achieved
through hard work, dedication and passion.
Old World Craftsmanship, Modern Technology
 Tall, wide, silver and gleaming, the MPLMs are
quite beautiful. Brondolo and his staff think of them as works
of art and their Italian names--Raffaello, Donnatello, and Leonardo
--reflect the craftsmanship involved. On behalf of Italian Space Agency the European Space Agency, and NASA, Alenia
Spazio has been contracted to build these MPLMs, which will
be used on the shuttle to transport supplies and materials between
Earth and the station. As Program Manager, Brondolo supervises
an experienced team of 300 people, mostly engineers, dedicated
to developing "a very nice piece of hardware for which we are
extremely proud to be able to deliver on time to NASA." Think
of these MPLMs as "smart shipping vans." They're huge, weighing
4.1 metric tons and measuring 21 feet by 15 feet. A unique feature
is their flexibility. When they're not transporting racks of equipment,
experiments and supplies to the station (or bringing back old
racks, completed experiments and used equipment), these reusable
vans double, while docked, as an inhabitable pressurized space
for two people. They include components that provide some life
support, fire detection and suppression, electrical distribution
and computer functions. Aboard the space shuttle, each will travel
to the station 25 times over the next 10 years. The Leonardo module,
first to go up, will be launched on shuttle mission STS-102 (no
earlier than Feb. 15, 2001) and will be equipped to outfit the
U.S. laboratory module. It can carry up to 9.1 metric tons of cargo
packed into 16 standard space station equipment racks (five can
be furnished with power, data and fluid to support a refrigerator
freezer).
A Blend of Work and Family
As demanding (and exciting) as the MPLM program
is, Brondolo makes time for himself as well. Weekends are spent
on the farm with his parents, wife and daughter. "The most important
way to relax my mind is to contribute to the work that my family
is doing." Brondolo's vineyard is in a town called Brondolo (because
everyone who lives there is named Brondolo). Beautiful, green
and lush, the farm has passed down through several generations
 and
is a place to enjoy good wine and food, the company of family
and friends and a great way of life. He has never forgotten the
lessons learned from his father over the years and often applies
his simple ideology of using common sense to approach challenges
at work. |
