Columbus (ISS Module) - Research Activities and Payloads

Research Activities and Payloads

See also: Scientific research on the ISS and ELIPS: European Programme for Life and Physical Sciences in Space

Activities in the lab are controlled on the ground by the Columbus Control Centre (at DLR Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany) and by the associated User Support Operations Centres throughout Europe.

The laboratory can accommodate ten active International Standard Payload Racks (ISPRs) for science payloads. Agreements with NASA allocate to ESA 51% usage of the Columbus Laboratory. ESA is thus allocated five active rack locations, with the other five being allocated to NASA. Four active rack locations are on the forward side of the deck, four on the aft side, and two are in overhead locations. Three of the deck racks are filled with life support and cooling systems. The remaining deck rack and the two remaining overhead racks are storage racks.

In addition, four un-pressurized payload platforms can be attached outside the starboard cone, on the Columbus External Payload Facility (CEPF). Each external payload is mounted on an adaptor able to accommodate small instruments and experiments totalling up to 230 kilograms (507 lb).

The following European ISPRs have been initially installed inside Columbus:

  1. Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL)
  2. European Physiology Modules (EPM)
  3. Biolab
  4. European Drawer Rack (EDR)
  5. European Storage Rack

The first external payloads were mounted on Columbus by crew members of the mission STS-122 mission. The three payloads mounted are:

  1. European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF) platform, which accommodates nine instruments: TRIBOLAB, PLEGPAY, MEDET, EUFIDE, DEBIE-2, FIPEX, EUTEMP, EXPOSE, DOSTEL, and the Earth Viewing Camera.
  2. Solar Monitoring Observatory (SOLAR)
  3. MISSE-6 (NASA payload)

Planned additional external payload:

  1. Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES)
  2. EXPORT
  3. Atmosphere-Space Interaction Monitor (ASIM)

See also:

  1. European Transportation Carrier (ISS Facility) (ETC)
  2. Columbus – External Payload Facility (Columbus-EPF)

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