Leonardo is the moving van for theoutpost, a kind of U-Haul trailer tucked into shuttle Discovery's cargobay. The shuttle is scheduled to carry its load into space March 8.

But instead of coffee tables and lamps,the module will be stuffed with computers and experiments. And, like anymoving van, the Leonardo module will be moved out of the driveway whenit is emptied and returned to the shed until it is needed again.

A 20-foot- (6-meter-) long aluminumcylinder, Leonardo is one of three such modules built by the Italian SpaceAgency to resupply Alpha. The other two, which will fly to the stationlater, are called Rafaeland Donatello. All were named for renowned Italian Renaissance artists.

Orbital Moving Vans

The three Italian logistics modules (pictured: Leonardo) are only one of Europe"s contributions to the International Space Station.Read More .

The three modules are sophisticatedgems of Space Age technology. They're also the main commitment by the Italiangovernment to the international project, expected to cost between $60 billionand $95 billion by the time Alpha is completed in 2006.

The modules are not powered, but arepressurized, meaning they hold an atmosphere on the way up to space andback.

They are outfitted with circuits andvalves that allow it to act like any other space station module, even thoughthey will be only temporary pieces of the station.

The Italian modules were designed tokeep station experiments intact during the dangerous climb into orbit andthe bumpy ride back to Earth. Other cargo ships have a mixed record forreturning experiments to Earth unharmed.

Previous space stations such as theRussianMir did not have a cargo vessel to carry intact research bays to Earth.The Russians had Progress modules that brought supplies into space, butthey do not survive reentry to Earth.

Roger Crouch, NASA's chief scientist,said Progress and other spacecraft did not allow whole segments of equipmentto be changed inside an orbiting station.

"In the old days, you had to use whatwas already in orbit," he said. "[The Italian modules] make Destiny a livinglaboratory."

Because of the relative roominess ofthe module, the experiments to be ferried back and forth can be largerthan previous space stations could handle.

For researchers on Earth, the chanceto trade whole segments of equipment means experiments can be larger thanin the past and much more sophisticated.

"Rather than have generic hardware,[scientists] can use specific equipment," Crouch said. "One of the problemswith Mir became that the furnaces were out-of-date. It sort of stymiedtheir materials research."

Leonardo's temporary home will be ina port of the Unity docking hub. Unity has proven an intersection of sortsfor the budding outpost. Launched in late 1998, the 18-foot- (5.5-meter-)long segment is a connection between American and Russian modules on thestation.

On one end, the Russian Zarya and Zvezdamodules, including living quarters for station crews; on the other, thenewly added U.S. Destinylab with its suite of computers and outfitted research bays.

A 70-foot- (21-meter-) high tower ofsolar arrays stands on top of Unity.

A docking tunnel for visiting shuttlesis attached to the bottom of the Unity, but Discovery will move it to theport side of Unity to make room for Leonardo.

Once Leonardo is in place, astronautsand cosmonauts inside the station will pull its racks out of the walls,float them through a couple of hatchways and install them inside Destiny.

Destiny was launched with five racksin place, each carrying communications and backup life support systems.Leonardo will carry six more, one dedicated to human research.

Station residents will take radiationreadings inside the station and other measurements and samples for analysis.

Because the laboratory was just attachedto the station last week and no research has been done there yet, thereare no racks to bring back to Earth.