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News Release For Immediate Release
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Vienna, VA, August 4, 1997 — SPACEHAB announced today that it has awarded contracts to Daimler-Benz Aerospace of Germany and RSC Energia of Russia for detailed design and production of the SPACEHAB Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC) System. The ICC System is designed to be used on the Space Shuttle to carry external, unpressurized cargo to the International Space Station and augments the SPACEHAB Single and Double Modules currently being used by NASA to carry re-supply items to the Mir Space Station. The addition of the unpressurized ICC System to the Company's fleet of pressurized module cargo carriers will enable SPACEHAB to supply flexible and efficient cargo packaging service for Space Station re-supply on a commercial service contract basis. The ICC System is composed of the Unpressurized Cargo Pallet (UCP) and a number of mechanisms, including a shuttle-keel interface structure and tunnel segment, which attach the UCP to the Shuttle payload bay. Under the terms of the contracts announced today RSC Energia will develop and produce the Unpressurized Cargo Pallet, which bridges across the Shuttle payload bay above the tunnel leading to the SPACEHAB Modules. Daimler-Benz Aerospace will design and produce the attachment hardware for the UCP and integrate the ICC System into the Space Shuttle. According to Mike Lounge, SPACEHAB's Vice President of Flight Systems Development, "The ICC system's lightweight design and unique configuration will enhance the Space Shuttle's capability to deliver external cargo to the International Space Station by employing previously unusable volume in the Shuttle payload bay." Production of the flight hardware is expected to begin by the end of 1997 with delivery to SPACEHAB's Payload Processing Facility in Cape Canaveral, Florida scheduled for mid-1999. Long term operational roles of DASA and Energia for the ICC System will be finalized in the near future. The development cost for the full ICC System, which will include integral tunnel and power and data services to payloads on the pallet, is estimated to be between $20 and $30 million. SPACEHAB Inc. provides products and services supporting both manned and unmanned space flight and operates the world's premier commercial space flight preparation facilities. Daimler-Benz Aerospace, Space Infrastructure Division, is Europe's leading company in manned space systems and is the prime contractor of the European Module for the International Space Station. RSC Energia is the leading Russian rocket and space company; the scope of its activity includes rocket and space engineering such as development and operation of manned space complexes, satellite systems development and creation of launch vehicles. |