International Space Station and European Space Laboratory Columbus

Abstract

In the middle of February 2013 the European research laboratory Columbus had been 5 years with the international space station. The scientists are expected to do research work there till 2020. The Columbus should remain in space technically till 2028 but the decisive factor is the cost. The industrial consortium wants to manage the commissioning and service of Columbus. In March 2012 the six-member flight crew of ISS one of them being ESA-astronaut Andre Kuipers had to investigate the refuge in both the capsules of returning Soyuz docked with ISS while the debris of one Russian satellite dangerously came near the ISS. However all went well, the space debris passed off the station.