ESA's Columbus laboratory

The European Columbus laboratory is ESA’s largest single contribution to the International Space Station. It was also the first permanent European research facility in space.

Columbus is a state-of-the-art facility that offers 75 cubic metres of space and contains an entire suite of research equipment. External platforms support experiments and applications in space science, Earth observation and technology.

The Cité de l’Espace permanent exhibition in Toulouse features a lifesize mock-up of the Columbus laboratory that visitors can explore. Here, the European Space Agency and Cité de l’Espace have created two exhibits: a hologram of Luca Parmitano relating his experience inside the Columbus laboratory and a 3D model of the International Space Station that highlights Columbus’ position.