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European Space Agency

Press Release

European Node officially handed to NASA

26 June 2003
 
Six years of hard work came to fruition when ESA formally transferred
ownership of Node 2 to NASA on 18 June 2003. This took place in the
Space Station Processing Facility of the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida. 
 
The ceremony was attended by Alan Thirkettle, Head of the
Development-Department of ESA's Human Spaceflight Directorate,
representatives from the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the Japanese
Space Agency (NASDA), NASA, and selected media organisations.

Nodes are modules, which interconnect the assembly elements of the
ISS. Node 2, in particular will connect four ISS laboratories, namely
the Centrifuge Accommodation Model, the Japanese Experiment Module
(Kibo), the US Laboratory Destiny and ESA's Columbus laboratory. It
will also act as a working base point for the Canadian robotic arm
Canadarm 2 and provide separate docking ports for the US space
shuttle and the European-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM),
for the purposes of ISS assembly and provision of research equipment
and supplies. The MPLM is a pressurised cargo container, which
travels in the shuttle cargo bay. 

The handover of Node 2 completes a major element of the barter
agreement between ESA and NASA signed in Turin on 8 October 1997.
Under this agreement, ESA will provide Node 2 and Node 3 (a similar
node under construction) plus additional equipment and know-how in
return for transportation of the European Columbus Laboratory to the
ISS by the Space Shuttle, currently scheduled for launch in October
2004. Node 2 is also scheduled to be launched in 2004 and will be the
second Node to form part of the ISS. Node 1 was launched to the ISS
in 1998 and was constructed under a NASA contract.

Node 2 arrived on 1 June 2003 at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
USA, after its flight in an Airbus Beluga heavy lift vehicle.
Following post transportation inspection, the Italian Space Agency
formally handed over Node 2 to ESA.

At the official hand over ceremony from ESA to NASA, ESA
representative Alan Thirkettle delivered a speech, which focussed on
the continued commitment of ESA to the ISS programme and the strong
cooperation that exists between all partners of the ISS.

In his speech he said: "The European Space Agency sees this module as
an element, which provides an example of how far the ISS partner
countries have progressed, not only with scientific development, but
also with international relations, since this module will be
connecting the European Laboratory Columbus with the American
Laboratory Destiny and the Japanese laboratory Kibo. ESA is proud to
be the organisation, which has developed the element, which will join
these three space powers together." 

Further highlighting this sense of close international relations was
the presence of the Japanese Space Agency delegate who was at the
ceremony to mark the arrival of the Japanese Kibo Laboratory at KSC,
where it will undergo completion of its interface qualification
programme prior to delivery to the ISS in 2006.

Mr Thirkettle went on to express his gratitude to all present
delegates and furthermore to the employees of Alenia Spazio in Turin.
Alenia Spazio is the prime contractor in the consortium of European
companies, which constructed Node 2, (and are constructing Node 3).
This construction was carried out under ESA responsibility and in the
frame of an agreement delegating to the Italian Space Agency (ASI)
the technical and programmatic management of the project.

He ended his speech by saying: "by handing over this Node 2 module
on behalf of the European Space Agency today, we move one step closer
to our final goal: a complete International Space Station. The finest
example of accomplishment through cooperation and the greatest symbol
of the future of humans in space." 

Mr Thirkettle and General Michael Kostelnik, Deputy Associate
Administrator (ISS & Space Shuttle), concluded the speeches with the
official signing of the Transfer of Ownership agreement for Node 2.

Handing the completed Node 2 module to NASA heralds the beginning of
a significant period in the European contribution to ISS assembly and
supply, which will see the completion of the European Columbus
Laboratory and the launch of the European Automated Transfer vehicle
before the end of next year.

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