The European Laboratory Columbus is In-orbit: a New Success for Thales Alenia Space

(Cannes, February 8, 2008) -- ESA's Columbus laboratory, developed with Thales Alenia Space as main contributor, has been successfully launched today from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida (USA) to the International Space Station (ISS). The Shuttle Atlantis lifted off at 20:45 CET and entered into orbit perfectly. It will dock to the ISS after a 2-day journey.

The multi-purpose pressurized module Columbus, with its planned operational lifetime of ten years, is Europe's first laboratory for long-term research in microgravity environment. Columbus will be permanently docked to the Node 2 (Harmony), developed by Thales Alenia Space as prime-contractor and launched on October 23, 2007.

"This launch is a further success for our company following the recent launch of Thales Alenia Space's Node 2," said Carlo Alberto Penazzi, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italy. "And even more important given that Columbus' docking to the station represents the beginning of a new phase, with the full scientific use of the Station. Thales Alenia Space has played a leading role in the ISS' development, contributing to 50% of the Station habitable volume".

Thales Alenia Space has been instrumental in participating in definition of the Columbus' Laboratory. The company was responsible for the design and production of Columbus' primary and secondary structure development as well as for the development and pre-integration of the entire thermo-mechanical part (PICA: Pre-Integrated Columbus APM).

Furthermore, Thales Alenia Space was also in charge of the micrometeoritic protection system (MDPS: Meteorite and Debris Protection System), the active and passive Thermal Control System (TCS), the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), the harness and all related Ground Support Equipments (GSE). It also contributed to some of the main system functionality, including the subsystem and payload control, the temperature control, the cabin atmosphere control, and the fire surveillance system.

Two out of five internal payloads (for microgravity experiments) and one out of two external payloads were manufactured by Thales Alenia Space:

- The Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) program for conducting fluid physics experiments, and the European Drawer Rack (EDR), a multipurpose and modular facility enabling a large variety of experiments.

- The SOLAR external payload, which allows three experiments to take place simultaneously, all focused on studying the sun characteristics and phenomena. SOLAR will be installed by the astronauts on Columbus external platform, using extravehicular activity (EVA), which is due to take place on the seventh day of the mission.

Columbus is a cylindrical module, made from "space" aluminium, which is 6.5 metres long and 4.5 metres wide, and weighs a total of 12,4 tonnes, including 2500 kg of payload. It hosts four racks along its length, or the equivalent volume, on each of its four sides. Columbus has an internal volume of 75 cubic meters.

On the outside, the pressurised structure is covered by protective micrometeoritic shields, whose design has benefited from the MPLM (Multi-Purpose Logistic Module) program, resulting in cost reductions for both projects.

Source : Thales Alenia Space

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