Spacelab-overview and implementation status

This paper briefly reviews the history of the Spacelab programme evolution. The flexibility which Spacelab offers to a variety of users from the scientific, applications, technology and other disciplines is elaborated. Limitations and constraints as well as subsystem resources available to potential users are stressed. Current status, Spacelab key design features, subsystems and major Spacelab elements are described. Emphasis is placed on a description of the progress of the hardware implementation with the European industrial consortia. The management interrelationships with NASA and the respective roles of ESA and NASA are summarized. Further a description of ESA's utilization planning for Spacelab is presented. The paper concludes with a summary of planned major events and the major milestones prior to completion of the development process and through the first two launches with the Space Shuttle.