19 April

2001: On 19 April 2001, ESA astronaut Umberto Guidoni made history as the first European to visit the International Space Station after being launched into space onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

The payload also included the European-developed Raffaello Multi-purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), planned to deliver more than 10 tonnes of equipment and supplies to the space station including some of the first experimental payloads for use in the US Destiny laboratory module.

The MPLM, built in Italy by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), is the only module capable of delivering racksize scientific payloads to the station. As well as food, water, clothes and other consumables, the Raffaello would carry two racks of scientific experiments. "Until now, deliveries to the station have mostly comprised of various construction supplies and materials to increase the volume and capability of the structure. This delivery marks the beginning of scientific utilisation of the station," said Guidoni.

On arrival at the ISS, Guidoni took control of Shuttle’s robotic arm controls and steered the Raffaello MPLM from the Shuttle docking bay into position. With limited views from the window this was a complicated process which took many months of intensive training to get right. From within the shuttle cockpit, Guidoni used remote controlled cameras, manual controls and a precise computerised space vision system to operate the Shuttle’s arm and guide the module into place.