# Donatello

> unflown cargo supply module for the International Space Station, repurposed into a ground prototype for a deep space habitat

**Wikidata**: [Q103903378](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q103903378)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/donatello-q103903378

## Summary
Donatello is one of three Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules (MPLM) developed as pressurized cargo containers for the International Space Station (ISS). Manufactured by Alenia Spazio under an agreement between NASA and the Italian Space Agency, it is distinct as the only module of the three that never flew in space. Instead, it has been repurposed by Lockheed Martin Space into a ground prototype for testing deep space habitat concepts.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Instance of a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM).
- **Status**: Unflown; never transported cargo to the ISS.
- **Operator**: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- **Current Role**: Ground prototype for a deep space habitat.
- **Developer/Manufacturer**: Alenia Spazio (Italy).
- **Funder**: Italian Space Agency.
- **Dimensions**: 6.6 meters in length and 4.57 meters in diameter.
- **Mass**: Empty weight of 4,082 kg.
- **Namesakes**: Named after the artist Donatello; also known as Donatello MPLM and MPLM-3.
- **Timeline**:
    - **Construction**: Completed in Turin by 2001.
    - **Arrival**: Delivered to Kennedy Space Center on February 1, 2001.
    - **Renovation**: Repurposed by Lockheed Martin Space at the Space Systems Processing Facility between 2017 and 2019.

## FAQs
**Q: What was the original purpose of the Donatello module?**
A: Donatello was designed as a pressurized cargo container to transfer supplies and equipment to and from the International Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle, similar to its sister modules, Leonardo and Raffaello.

**Q: Why is Donatello significant in space exploration history?**
A: Although it never flew, Donatello is a key artifact of the NASA-Italian Space Agency collaboration and serves as a crucial physical asset for ground-testing technologies for future long-duration deep space missions.

**Q: How is Donatello being used today?**
A: Since 2017, the module has been renovated to serve as a ground prototype for a deep space habitat, allowing engineers to test systems for potential future lunar or Martian outposts.

## Why It Matters
Donatello represents a unique transition in space hardware utility, moving from a component of the Space Shuttle era to a testbed for next-generation space exploration. While its sister modules, Leonardo and Raffaello, fulfilled their original logistical roles, Donatello provides scientists and engineers with a tangible platform to study human habitation in deep space. Its repurposing highlights the value of adaptable spacecraft design and continues the legacy of international partnership by evolving a funded Italian asset into a tool for future NASA missions.

## Notable For
- **Being the Unflown MPLM**: It is the only one of the three MPLMs (Leonardo, Raffaello, Donatello) that was never launched to the ISS.
- **Repurposing for Deep Space**: Distinguished as a ground prototype for deep space habitats, contributing to research for missions beyond low Earth orbit.
- **International Development**: A product of the memorandum of understanding between NASA and the Italian Space Agency, signifying a major collaborative effort in ISS logistics.

## Body

### Development and Design
Developed by the Italian company Alenia Spazio, Donatello was part of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module program funded by the Italian Space Agency. The module was constructed in Turin, Italy, with construction completed by 2001. Like its counterparts, it featured a cylindrical design 6.6 meters long and 4.57 meters in diameter, with an empty mass of 4,082 kg. It was engineered to fit inside the Space Shuttle's payload bay and dock with the International Space Station to transfer pressurized cargo.

### Operational History and Modifications
Donatello arrived at the Kennedy Space Center on February 1, 2001, but was never assigned to a flight mission. Unlike Leonardo and Raffaello, which performed multiple cargo runs to the ISS between 2001 and 2011, Donatello remained on the ground. In 2017, operator NASA initiated a renovation project managed by Lockheed Martin Space at the Space Systems Processing Facility. This project, which concluded in 2019, converted the module into a prototype for a space habitat.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/mplm.html)
2. Mini pressurized logistics module (MPLM)
3. [Source](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0094576594902542)
4. [Source](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19990052631/downloads/19990052631.pdf)
5. [Source](https://spaceref.com/status-report/donatello-multipurpose-logistics-module-arrives-at-ksc/)
6. [Source](https://www.collectspace.com/news/news-072417a-donatello-mplm-deep-space-habitat.html)
7. [Source](https://www.autoevolution.com/news/lockheed-martin-builds-prototype-habitat-for-nasas-moon-space-station-133039.html)
8. [Source](https://www.space.com/41764-nasa-lunar-gateway-lockheed-martin-habitat-module.html)
9. [Source](http://mplm.msfc.nasa.gov/mission.html)