Europe's Columbus laboratory le... (nment for astronauts to operate science ...)

Europe's Columbus laboratory leaves Earth

Date:2/7/2008

nment for astronauts to operate science equipment and conduct experiments in weightlessness across a wide range of topics in life sciences, human physiology, biology, fluid physics, material sciences, technology and education. It will also feature external accommodation for experiments focusing on space science, Earth observation, materials and advanced space technologies.

With the launch and docking of Columbus, ESA also becomes responsible for the operations and utilisation of the ISS and will thus be entitled to fly its own astronauts for long-duration missions as members of the resident ISS crew, with an actual share proportionate to Europes investment in the international facility.

Columbus carries 2.5 tonnes of science payloads, consisting of five internal racks housing integrated or modular multi-user research facilities - Biolab, the Fluid Science Laboratory, the European Physiology Modules, the European Drawer Rack and the European Transport Carrier. Two more payloads are carried separately in the cargo bay of the Shuttle and will be mounted on Columbuss external platforms: the Solar observatory and the European Technology Exposure Facility. More internal and external payloads will be added at a later stage.

As soon as it is connected to the ISS, the European space laboratory will be monitored and controlled by ESAs Columbus Control Centre, located within the German space agency (DLR) facilities in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, which will be responsible for its commissioning and the coordination of science operations onboard. The dedicated Control Centre will also manage the European ground communications network, providing links with the US and Russian control centres as well as with other European control and operation centres. A network of User Support and Operations Centres (USOCs) was set up all over Europe to facilitate the interface between the researchers and the science payloads onboard Columbus, and to allow investigator
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Contact: media.relations@esa.int
33-153-697-299
European Space Agency
Source:Eurekalert

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