Internal configuration of ESA's Columbus Orbital Facility (COF), which will become one of the principal manned modules of the International Space Station (ISS) when it is launched in late 2002 or early 2003 aboard the US Space Shuttle. In this pressurised laboratory, European astronauts and their international colleagues will work in a comfortable shirtsleeve environment. The state-of-the-art COF is a general-purpose laboratory, accommodating experiments in life sciences, materials processes, technology development, fluid sciences, fundamental physics and other disciplines. Up to 500 experiments will be performed in it every year of its 10-year operational life. Measuring 6.7 m long and 4.5 m in diameter, the one-piece module will weigh 9.9 t without its research equipment of 5 t in 10 exchangeable modular racks. COF will be permanently docked to ISS via the 40-inch (101.6-cm) hatch shown on the cylinder's near end. The subfloor area houses three subsystem racks (shown in red) carrying the bulkiest elements of the environmental control and life support system, like the Condensing Heat Exchanger, Water Pumps and Power Distribution Units. Shown in green are some of the 13 experiment or storage racks. COF is being developed by a European consortium headed by Daimler Benz Aerospace (DASA). Alenia Aerospazio is responsible for the definition, development and pre-integration of the mechanical structure, which will be delivered to DASA in 2000 for final integration of avionics and software, overall system verification and delivery to ESA. [Image Date: 1997] [98.07.002-006]