Under the European Space Agency's SPACELAB contribution to the US Space Shuttle programme, Alenia Spazio was prime contractor for the SPACELAB pressurized module system. The company was interested in exploring future commercial applications for its module technology. The example here shows a conversion of a short segment of Alenia Spazio's module (photo below) into a garage module for NASA's Manned Manoeuvring Units (MMUs) (photo bottom far right). ​The diagrams to the right show how the module's unpressurised shell is modified to become a garage for two MMUs. These personal propulsion units

had flown successfully several times on the Shuttle but NASA had terminated their use. They were available for private missions but needed protective storage in space. After exiting the Station's airlock, an astronaut would enter the garage via a hatch, strap into an MMU, activate it, and fly slowly out. The garage is equipped with nitrogen gas tanks for replenishing the MMU thruster system, replacement batteries, parts storage and a command and control interface.