SPACEPHOTOS

(08/05/1999) -- Inside a high bay in the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF), workers on the floor oversee the transfer of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) called Raffaello to a workstand where it will undergo testing. Sharing the space in the SSPF is the first Italian-built MPLM, Leonardo, seen at right, and the U.S. Lab, Destiny, in the background. One of Italy's major contributions to the ISS program, the MPLM is a reusable logistics carrier and the primary delivery system used to resupply and return station cargo requiring a pressurized environment. Weighing nearly 4.5 tons, the Raffaello measures 21 feet long and 15 feet in diameter. Raffaello is scheduled to be launched on mission STS-100 July 27, 2000