Columbus is the name for the European contribution to the international space station Freedom. The European Space Agency (ESA) is providing one of the four main modules that form the central core of Freedom. It is called the Columbus attached laboratory. When finances allow, they will also provide the Columbus free-flying laboratory. ESA is also developing a spaceplane called Hermes, designed to ferry European astronauts between Earth and the space station. In designing the Columbus attached laboratory (CAT), ESA has drawn on the experience in building Spacelab. And like Spacelab, the CAT is designed to be carried into orbit inside the payload bay of the space shuttle orbiter. Measuring 11.8 metres long and 4.5 metres across, the CAT will be outfitted with standardized racks holding experiments. It will be pressurized to a 'shirt- sleeve' environment, but there will also be an unpressurized viewing platform one end, which will carry telescopes and other instruments. The CAT will be operated usually by a scientific crew of three. Off-duty, the crew will live in Freedom's habitation module, provided by the USA. The Columbus free-flying laboratory (CFFL) is an independent laboratory designed mainly for remote control operation. It will be visited only occasionally for collection of samples, replacement of experiments and servicing. The CFFL consists of a pressurized laboratory, much like the CAT. But it in addition it has a service, or resource module. This will carry equipment for supporting the experimental work, including two arrays of solar cells to produce the necessary electricity. The service module also has a docking port, allowing docking with the Hermes spaceplane, which will carry the service scientists and engineers on their periodic visits.
