In the Space Station Processing Facility, workers help guide the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo as it moves toward the weight and balance scale. The Italian-built MPLM is one of three such pressurized modules that will serve as the International Space Station's "moving vans," carrying laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies to and from the station aboard the Space Shuttle. The cylindrical module is approximately 21 feet long and 15 feet in diameter, weighing almost 4.1 metric tons. It can carry up to 9.1 metric tons of cargo packed into 16 standard space station equipment racks. The Leonardo will be launched on mission STS-102 March 8. On that flight, Leonardo will be filled with equipment and supplies to outfit the U.S. laboratory module, to be carried to the ISS on the Feb. 7 launch of STS-98
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NASA ID
KSC-01pp0253
Date Created
January 22, 2001
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
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Medium
960px