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Vienna, VA, October 10, 1996 — SPACEHAB, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAB) received the new SPACEHAB Double Module back from NASA on October 2, 1996, completing its first mission to space to resupply the Russian Space Station Mir. Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on September 16, 1996, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center to begin the ambitious mission of the largest resupply of the space station ever, as well as the first exchange of American astronauts in space. Atlantis landed back at the Kennedy Space Center on September 26, 1996, with the Double Module being returned to SPACEHAB on October 2, 1996, signifying the completion of the mission. The revenue associated with this mission will be recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 1997, in accordance with the Company's policy of recognizing revenue at the completion of each mission carrying a SPACEHAB Module. The Double Module primarily was carrying logistics items to support the astronauts during the mission, as well as to support the astronaut and cosmonauts staying aboard Mir. Astronaut John Blaha was left on Mir for an approximately four-month stay to conduct science experiments and serve to increase NASA's experience in long-duration space flight. The equipment he will use during his stay primarily was stored in the Double Module during the rendezvous and docking part of the mission, and then was transferred to Mir while Atlantis and Mir were docked together. Conversely, Astronaut Shannon Lucid, who had been aboard Mir for approximately six months, transferred her equipment and scientific results to the Double Module for the return trip to Earth. Most of the logistics items that were stowed in the Double Module were housed inside a soft stowage system. The soft stowage system is a series of canvas-like bags, similar to backpacks or duffel bags, in various sizes that attach to the interior surfaces of the Module. The bags weigh less than standard lockers which typically house science experiments, allowing more and varied cargo to be carried. The system allows on average up to 20% more cargo to be carried than if standard lockers were used. On the mission, 41 "single locker" bags, two "double locker" bags, four "triple locker" bags, and six "half-locker bags" were used. To facilitate the crew's transfer of the bags to and from the Double Module and Mir, a system was developed using a visual cue of color-coded cards in red, white, and blue. The contents of the bags marked with a red card were transferred to Mir and remained there, the contents of the bags marked with a white card transferred out of the Module for use on-orbit, but were carried back to Earth in the Module, and the bags marked with a blue card remained in the Module and were filled with contents transferred from Mir. The SPACEHAB Double Module is the newest human-rated space qualified asset in the world. The Double Module is one of a fleet of Modules the Company owns and operates. The Modules fit into the payload bay of Space Shuttles, providing laboratory and logistics resupply services to NASA, other international space agencies, industry, and academia on a lease basis. SPACEHAB has contracted backlog for five Shuttle missions to resupply Mir carrying SPACEHAB Modules in 1997 and 1998. The next flight of a SPACEHAB Double Module currently is scheduled in mid-January 1997. SPACEHAB is the first company to commercially develop, own and operate habitable modules that provide laboratory research facilities and logistics resupply services aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle system, supporting people living and working in space. |