Spacehab
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Spacehab is the pressurized aluminum module that flies aboard the Space Shuttle. It is about 20-foot long, 14-foot wide and 11-foot high. Spacehab can carry up to 10,000 pounds of payload into space, including various hardware, research equipment, and logistical supplies for the space station. Spacehab module is carried in the cargo bay of orbiter and connected to the middeck of the crew carbin by an access tunnel.
SPACEHAB is the aerospace company headquartered in Webster, Texas that owns the Spacehab modules and sells SPACEHAB Flight Services (SFS), charging commercial price based on cost per kilogram for mass sending into space. Boeing-Huntsville developed the Logistics Double Module for SPACEHAB and serves as the mission integration contractor.
Spacehab modules have served in 21 missions. The first mission was STS-57 in June 1993. It's latest flight was in STS-116 in December 2006. The final one will be STS-118 in 2007.
SPACEHAB failed to attract customers. Hence, two of the first six planned flights were cancelled. The company was then approached by NASA with a new business opportunity. SPACEHAB provided its modules for seven Shuttle/Mir missions, where they were used as logistics carriers. A double module was created to enhance cargo capability. It first flew on STS-79. The logistics double module was also flown on three International Space Station missions.
In late 1998, a single research module flew for the last time. It was booked by NASA under the Research and Logistics Mission Support (REALMS) contract. However, the premiere of the research double module on STS-107 ended in disaster when Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry.
In January 2004, SPACEHAB filed a formal claim against NASA for the amount of $87.7 million for the loss caused by the disaster. In February 2003 they had received $17.7 million from the proceeds of its commercial insurance policy, and in October 2004 NASA gave them $8.2 million. In February 2007 SPACEHAB dropped this claim.
SPACEHAB proposed a Commercial Enterprise Module developed by RKK Energia for the Russian Federal Space Agency to be attached to the International Space Station in place of the cancelled Docking and Stowage Module. The Russian Federal Space Agency planned on renting it out to the other space agencies; they were awarded the 2001 Design & Engineering Award from Popular Mechanics. In 2001 they were expecting to have launched the module by 2003. Since 2002 nothing has been heard about "Enterprise", and it seems that due to lack of funds it is being replaced with the Multipurpose Laboratory Module.
SPACEHAB operates three Astrotech Space Operations.
[edit] Notes
- ^ - Two SPACEHAB press releases from January 2004 and 2005 regarding the claims filed against NASA for STS-107 [3][4]
- ^ - A SPACEHAB press release from March 2001 regarding "Enterprise" [5]
