International Space Station European elements

Columbus is a research laboratory which is permanently attached to the International Space Station and provides internal payload accommodation for experiments in the field of multidisciplinary research into material science, fluid physics and life science. In addition, an external payload facility hosts experiments and applications in the field of space science, Earth observation and technology.

The International Space Station depends on regular deliveries of equipment and spare parts as well as food, air and water for its crew. Since its first mission in 2008 Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) has been indispensable to the International Space Station.

DMS-R, in the Russian Service Module Zvezda, is a set of computers, that provides for the overall control, mission and failure management of the entire Russian segment of the International Space Station.

Node 2 is a pressurised module which serves as a connecting passage between the European Columbus laboratory, the US laboratory Destiny and the Japanese laboratory Kibo.