The ESA payloads for Columbus--a bridge between the ISS and exploration.

As part of the European contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) Programme, ESA has developed a number of complex, pressurised and unpressurised payloads for conducting scientific investigations in a variety of disciplines, such as the life and physical sciences, technology and space science. The majority of these payloads will already be installed in ESA's Columbus Laboratory when it is launched in 2006. Many of them are ready for flight, whilst the others are approaching final acceptance. The development of these payloads and their utilisation on the ISS can be considered as a bridge to ESA's future Exploration activities.