Columbus Operations – Joint undertaking between DLR and Industry

Kurzfassung

Columbus operation is a special challenge not only for space vehicle development, but also for deploying new operational concepts for ground support. Due to the long runtime of such a project and the related constraints new approaches are necessary to have the project alive over that long period. One new contractual and technical approach of spacecraft operation and maintenance has now been set up between ESA and the industrial consortium EADS/DLR and other major European industrial partners with regards to the ISS and Columbus program. Together with the expertise in hardware and vehicle design of EADS, DLR, one of Europe’s specialists in the spacecraft operations, forms the backbone of the new operational set up.