Columbus (ISS module)

Columbus is a science laboratory designed to be a part of the International Space Station. Contracted by ESA, with EADS SPACE Transportation as prime contractor, it is integrated at its facilities in Bremen, Germany. The Columbus flight structure, the micro-meteorite protection system, the active and passive thermal control, the environmental control, the harness and all the related ground support equipment, were built by Alenia Spazio in Turin, Italy.

Related Topics:
International Space Station - ESA - EADS SPACE Transportation - Bremen - Germany - Alenia - Turin - Italy

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Columbus is designed for ten years of operations. Launch is set for 2007 on STS-122, the ninth Shuttle flight after Return to Flight.

Related Topics:
2007 - STS-122 - Shuttle

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However, NASA is now studying scenarios where Columbus (as well as the Japanese laboratory module) is removed from the Shuttle manifest and transferred to the future heavy lift launch vehicle derived from the Shuttle. Whether this is acceptable from a technical and budgetary standpoint for ESA remains to be seen.

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