STS-107 Debuts Flight of Research Double Module and Numerous Commercial Payloads

SPACEHAB, Incorporated, a leading provider of commercial space services, began a new
era in space research with the liftoff of its new Research Double Module (RDM)
onboard today’s launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia. SPACEHAB’s RDM is a
pressurized aluminum module housed within the Shuttle’s cargo bay, carrying
approximately 7,500 pounds of research payloads for NASA, other space
agencies, and commercial customers worldwide, including SPACEHAB funded
education experiments.

Connected to the Shuttle middeck by a pressurized access tunnel, the RDM
serves as the primary working and living space available to the astronauts.
For the STS-107 mission, SPACEHAB has managed the integration of more than 100
experiments that will be conducted on this critical 16-day mission. Utilizing
12 percent of the total payload carrying capacity for commercial purposes,
SPACEHAB provided access to space to a broad range of entities including the
U.S. Air Force, foreign space agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and academic
institutions worldwide.

One of the commercial payloads, provided by SPACEHAB’s Space Media
subsidiary, is the STARS Program education locker that houses student
experiments from six countries including Australia, China, Israel, Japan,
Liechtenstein, and the United States. Students gathered in Florida to load
and launch their unique experiments into space and are now monitoring the data
during the mission at http://www.starsacademy.com .

Benefiting from an out-of-this-world experience funded by SPACEHAB and
corporate sponsors, these students designed unique experiments that will now
be viewed by other young explorers around the globe. Analyzing real-time
data, the students will compare results of an Earth-bound control locker with
that of its orbiting counterpart to observe the impacts of a microgravity
environment on their spiders, silkworms, crystals, fish eggs, bees, and ants.

After experiencing firsthand the long-awaited liftoff of the Space
Shuttle, clearing the launch tower at 10:39 a.m. EST, the students were
invited to a SPACEHAB post-launch celebration. Along with other guests, the
students were treated to a surprise musical appearance by Natural, a Lou
Pearlman singing sensation band. Pearlman is the creator of previous
worldwide success hit groups such as the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.

With more than $100 million in annual revenue, SPACEHAB, Incorporated is a
leading provider of commercial space services. The Company develops, owns, and
operates habitat and laboratory modules and cargo carriers aboard NASA’s Space
Shuttles. Its Johnson Engineering subsidiary provides orbiter crew
compartment integration, ISS stowage and configuration management, supports
astronaut training, and builds space-flight mockup trainers at NASA’s Johnson
Space Center in Houston. SPACEHAB’s Astrotech subsidiary provides commercial
satellite processing services at facilities in California and Florida.
Additionally, through The Space Store, Space Media provides space merchandise
to the public and space enthusiasts worldwide (http://www.thespacestore.com).

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to
certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected in such statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, whether the Company will fully
realize the economic benefits under its NASA and other customer contracts, the
timing and mix of Space Shuttle missions, the successful development and
commercialization of new space assets, technological difficulties, product
demand, timing of new contracts, launches and business, market acceptance
risks, the effect of economic conditions, uncertainty in government funding,
the impact of competition, and other risks detailed in the Company’s
Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

  • FOR MORE INFORMATION:
  • Kimberly Campbell
  • Director of Marketing
  • SPACEHAB, Inc.
  • 713-558-5049
  • campbell@spacehab.com