KSC-99pp1012

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility, workers begin offloading the Raffaello, the second Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) for the International Space Station (ISS), from the "Beluga" Super Transporter that brought it from Italy. One of Italy's major contributions to the ISS program, the MPLM is a reusable logistics carrier and the primary delivery system used to resupply and return station cargo requiring a pressurized environment. Weighing nearly 4.5 tons, the module measures 21 feet long and 15 feet in diameter. Raffaello will join Leonardo, the first Italian-built MPLM, in the Space Station Processing Facility for testing. NASA, Boeing, the Italian Space Agency and Alenia Aerospazio will provide engineering support