KSC01pp0823

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, Italian astronauts with the European Space Agency pose with NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin. On the left is Roberto Vittori and on the right is Paolo A. Nespoli. 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