WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

Michael Kinnan (left), with International Space Station (ISS) Launch Site Integration Office, and Todd McIntyre, with ISS International Elements, review paperwork for the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) in the Space Station Processing Facility at KSC. The Italian-built module, named Leonardo, is one of three to be provided by Alenia Aerospazio, and will be operated by NASA and supported by ASI, the Italian space agency. In the background, technicians from The Boeing Company and Alenia Aerospazio are preparing the first MPLM for flight. The MPLMs will be carried in the payload bay of a Shuttle orbiter, and will provide storage and additional work space for up to two astronauts when docked to the ISS. Leonardo is scheduled to be launched on STS-100 in December 1999. The second MPLM, named Raffaello, is scheduled to be handed over in April 1999. A third module, to be named Donatello, is due to be delivered in October 2000 for launch in January 2001.