KSC-01PP-0822

At a signing ceremony between the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and NASA for a Framework for Cooperation to build the Habitation Module for the International Space Station, NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin speaks to attendees. Seated at the table next to Goldin are The Honorable Lamberto Dini, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Italy (far left), Italian Space Agency President Sergio DeJulio, and John Schumacher, assistant administrator, NASA External Relations. The Framework is a potential bilateral cooperative agreement that could result in ASI development of a U.S. Habitation Module for the International Space Station. This agreement allows the U.S. to explore an alternative approach to achieve full crew habitation for the ISS. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NASA and ASI will be required to formally document NASA and ASI’s respective responsibilities in a legally binding document. The Framework signed today would form the basis for a potential MOU which NASA and ASI would sign after completion of the program assessment and subsequent negotiations.The ceremony took place at the IMAX Theater, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex