In the Footsteps of Columbus ─ European Missions to the International Space Station

The European Space Agency has a long history of cooperating with NASA in human spaceflight, having developed the Spacelab module for carrying in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle. This book tells of the development of ESA’s Columbus microgravity science laboratory of the International Space Station and the European astronauts who work in it. From the beginning, ESA has been in close collaboration on the ISS, making a significant contribution to the station hardware. Special focus is given to Columbus and Copula as well as station resupply using the ATV. Each mission is also examined individually, creating a comprehensive picture of ESA's crucial involvement over the years. Extensive use of color photographs from NASA and ESA to depict the experiments carried out, the phases of the ISS construction, and the personal stories of the astronauts in space highlights the crucial European work on human spaceflight.

John O’Sullivan is an engineer, astronomer, and pilot with a fascination for space. His first degree was in Electrical Engineering from University College Cork. Since then he has been working in the field of automation and control systems, primarily in the pharmaceutical, biopharma and medical device sector. O'Sullivan joined Douglas Control and Automation in 1995 and in 2003 was part of a management buyout of the company, becoming Engineering Director. See www.douglas-esl.ie.

In 2003 he gained his PPL flying Cessna 172 aircraft. His lifelong interest in aviation and aerospace led him to study astronomy and in 2009 he started taking courses offered by the Open University. This eventually led to qualifications in Maths and in Astronomy & Planetary Science. His aim is to receive the Diploma in Physical Science in 2014 and the BSc Natural Science in 2016. In 2008 his interest in all things space related led him to a long membership of the BIS and then to apply to be an ESA astronaut.