Abstract
This paper describes lessons and problems related to the planning for external payloads on the International Space Station (ISS). In 1997, the European Space Agency (ESA) started work on the definition and design of three payloads to be accommodated on the EXPRESS Pallet (two payloads were added later). Since then, ESA encountered a number of non-payload-specific general issues. They are relevant to all external payloads and arise because payload development was initiated very early in comparison to the assembly of the Space Station and to the build-up of the external payload infrastructure. Nevertheless, the lessons and problems encountered are of interest today, since analogous problems could arise with future payloads, even if the ISS is fully assembled and the transportation capability for external payloads already in place.
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