In the Footsteps of Columbus: European Missions to the International Space Station (Springer Praxis Books)

The European Space Agency has a long history of human spaceflight, flying in space with both NASA and the Soviet/Russian space agencies over the years. This book tells the story of the ESA astronauts who have visited the International Space Station over its first decade and how they have lived on board, helped construct the space laboratory and performed valuable scientific experiments. ESA has contributed the Columbus science laboratory as well as the Copula, the Leonardo PMM and the ATV supply ship to the station’s infrastructure but it is the human endeavor that captures the imagination. From brief visits to six month expeditions, from spacewalking to commanding the Earth’s only outpost in space, ESA astronauts have played a vital role in the international project. Extensive use of color photographs from NASA and ESA depicting the experiments carried out, the phases of the ISS construction and the personal stories of the astronauts in space highlights the crucial European work on human spaceflight. The European Space Agency has a long history of cooperating with NASA in human spaceflight, having developed the Spacelab module for carrying in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle. This book tells of the development of ESA's Columbus microgravity science laboratory of the International Space Station and the European astronauts who work in it. From the beginning, ESA has been in close collaboration on the ISS, making a significant contribution to the station hardware. Special focus is given to Columbus and Copula as well as station resupply using the ATV. Each mission is also examined individually, creating a comprehensive picture of ESA's crucial involvement over the years. Extensive use of color photographs from NASA and ESA to depict the experiments carried out, the phases of the ISS construction, and the personal stories of the astronauts in space highlights the crucial European work on human spaceflight Front Matter....Pages i-xxi Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Before ISS....Pages 2-10 Spacecraft....Pages 11-18 Front Matter....Pages 19-19 STS-100....Pages 20-35 Andromède....Pages 36-54 Marco Polo....Pages 55-67 STS-111....Pages 68-80 Odissea....Pages 81-101 Cervantes....Pages 102-121 DELTA....Pages 122-153 Eneide....Pages 154-169 Astrolab....Pages 170-203 Celsius....Pages 204-224 Esperia....Pages 225-238 Columbus, Phase I....Pages 239-267 Columbus, Phase II....Pages 268-275 Oasiss....Pages 276-295 Alissé....Pages 296-305 Magisstra....Pages 306-324 DAMA....Pages 325-337 Promisse....Pages 338-368 Back Matter....Pages 369-391