FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SPACEHAB READIES FOR NEXT SPACE STATION RESUPPLY MISSION FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF RUSSIAN SERVICE MODULE
Washington, D.C., July 12, 2000 -- SPACEHAB, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: SPAB), a leading provider of commercial space services, congratulates the International Space Station (ISS) partners and RSC Energia on the successful launch of the Russian service module, Zvezda, early today. The addition of this third module to the ISS, enabling continuous habitation, is expected to increase demand for space station resupply. SPACEHAB, a pioneer in the business of space logistics, stands ready to meet the pressurized and unpressurized cargo transportation needs of space station partners and users throughout ISS assembly and operations.
Work is well under way on SPACEHAB's third resupply mission to the ISS, scheduled to launch in September on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Space Shuttle Atlantis. The company is providing a pressurized Logistics Double Module, an unpressurized Integrated Cargo Carrier, and a SPACEHAB Oceaneering Space Systems (SHOSS) box to carry critical equipment and supplies to the ISS. SPACEHAB flew these same carriers on NASA's second ISS resupply mission in May.
"We applaud the Russian Aviation and Space Agency for its successful launch of Zvedza, and we applaud the ISS partners for seeing this project to fruition," said SPACEHAB Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Shelley A. Harrison following the launch. "The nations of the world are establishing a permanent presence in space, together, and SPACEHAB is prepared to support this effort."
"We also congratulate RSC Energia on the successful completion of Zvezda," said SPACEHAB President and Chief Operating Officer David A. Rossi, "and we look forward to serving an expanding market for space station utilization."
SPACEHAB supported seven successful resupply missions to the Russian space station Mir, preceding the commencement of ISS assembly. As an ISS partner, NASA was committed to supplying critical items for astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the Mir. On these Mir resupply missions, NASA used SPACEHAB's pressurized logistics modules to carry food, computers, instrumentation, an oxygen generator, and other critical supplies that were transferred to the Mir through a docking tunnel. Following seven successful Mir resupply missions, SPACEHAB developed the ICC and SHOSS Box, unpressurized carriers that can transport thousands of pounds of equipment and astronaut provisions for use outside the ISS.
SPACEHAB can load important cargo into its modules and carriers even after they are installed in the Shuttle's cargo bay and the shuttle is on the launch pad, a valuable service that gives the ISS partners greater flexibility in completing cargo manifests for assembly and resupply missions. "Much of what is in the Shuttle cargo bay for a space station resupply mission is packed efficiently in SPACEHAB modules and carriers," according to Dr. Harrison.
SPACEHAB anticipates supporting at least three resupply missions a year to the ISS and at least one Shuttle research mission a year (with its Research Double Module) in the space station era. In 2003, the company intends to launch its own space station habitat module, Enterprise™. This module, to be launched on a Russian rocket and attached to the Russian side of the ISS, will be the world's first commercial real estate in space. Enterprise™ will also break new ground by housing the world's first commercial television and Internet broadcasting studio in space. SPACEHAB subsidiary Space Media™, Inc., is developing plans for TV and Internet content production and distribution from Enterprise™.
Founded in 1984 and with more than $100 million in annual revenue, SPACEHAB is a leading provider of commercial space services. SPACEHAB is the first company to commercially develop, own and operate habitable modules that provide laboratory facilities and logistics resupply aboard NASA's Space Shuttles. The company also supports astronaut training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas and provides commercial satellite processing services for Boeing's Delta and Lockheed Martin's Atlas launch vehicles near Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, whether the company will fully realize the economic benefits under its NASA and other customer contracts, the timing and mix of Space Shuttle missions, the successful development and commercialization of new space assets, technological difficulties, product demand, timing of new contracts, launches and business, market acceptance risks, the effect of economic conditions, uncertainty in government funding, the impact of competition, and other risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Linda Billings
Director of Communications
SPACEHAB, Inc.
(202) 488-3500
billings@hqspacehab.com
SPACEHAB's Role in International Space Station (ISS) Assembly and Resupply
July 2000
Assembly Flight 1A/R, November 20, 1998: Russian Proton rocket launched Zarya control module. (No SPACEHAB payload.)
Assembly Flight 2A (STS-88), December 4, 1998: U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour launched Unity connecting module (Node 1) with two Pressurized Mating Adapters that was linked to Zarya. (No SPACEHAB payload.)
Resupply Mission 2A.1 (STS-96), May 27, 1999: SPACEHAB Logistics Double Module (LDM) and Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC) and SPACEHAB Oceaneering Space Systems (SHOSS) box launched on Shuttle Discovery, carrying two tons of supplies to ISS including Russian Strela cargo crane components.
Resupply Mission 2A.2a (STS-101), May 19, 2000: SPACEHAB LDM, ICC and SHOSS box launched on Space Shuttle Atlantis, carrying more than four tons of payload to ISS including Strela crane components and SOAR (Space-Integrated Global Positioning Integrated System (SIGI) Operational Attitude Readiness) technology-demonstration payload.
Assembly Flight 1R, July 12, 2000: Russian Proton rocket to launch Zvezda service module, providing life support and living quarters for ISS crew.
Resupply Mission 2A.2b (STS-106), September 2000: SPACEHAB LDM, ICC and SHOSS box to be launched on Space Shuttle Atlantis, carrying more than four tons of payload.
Assembly Flight 2R, fall 2000: Russian Soyuz rocket with three crew members including U.S. astronaut William M. Shepherd, initiating permanent habitation of ISS.
Assembly Flight 3A (STS-92), 2001: U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery to launch Integrated Truss Structure, third Pressurized Mating Adapter, Ku-band communications system, and attitude-control gyros.
Assembly Flight 7A.1 (STS-105), 2001: SPACEHAB ICC and two SPACEHAB SHOSS boxes to be launched on Space Shuttle Discovery. ICC will carry micrometeorite debris panels for the Russian Zarya module.
NASA and its partners have more than three dozen ISS assembly and resupply missions planned over the next five years. SPACEHAB anticipates playing a role in two to three of these missions per year. NASA's Research and Logistics Mission Support (REALMS) contract with SPACEHAB provides options for numerous Space Shuttle flights.