The construction of the Spacelab modules was the most ambitious and successful German space project of the 80's in cooperation with ESA. With the first flight of German ESA astronaut Ulf Merbold in November 1983 (STS-9), the first German in a space shuttle flight, the space laboratory carried more instruments into space than any European satellite before.

Spacelab remained successfully operational until 1998 and was used in various configurations for 22 spacecraft missions. The cylindrical main module measures about four feet in diameter around seven meters in length and served as the astronauts work and research space.

Furthermore, pallets of about three meters in length that could be attached, took equipment and equipment for experiments outside the shuttle in space. "The exemplary structure, operational procedures and methods found in Germany at the DLR and Europe provided input to all future space missions," said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Chairman of the Board of DLR. In the exact replica of the original module shown today, the astronauts trained at DLR and later in the European Astronaut Training Center EAC in Cologne-Wahn and prepared for their missions.