# Research Double Module > Spacehab-built laboratory flown on Space Shuttle Columbia **Wikidata**: [Q65063865](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65063865) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacehab_Research_Double_Module) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/research-double-module ## Summary The Research Double Module (RDM) was a Spacehab-built laboratory module designed to be flown as a payload on the Space Shuttle Columbia. It served as a component of the Spacehab family, which provided additional research and storage capabilities for Space Shuttle missions. Operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the RDM was classified as a former entity following its dissolution in 2003. ## Key Facts - **Classification**: The Research Double Module is an instance of a payload and a former entity, and is a subclass of Spacehab. - **Manufacturer**: It was manufactured by Astrotech Corporation, under the Spacehab designation. - **Operator**: The module was operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). - **Launch Vehicle**: The Research Double Module was flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia. - **Dissolution Date**: It was dissolved, abolished, or demolished on February 1, 2003, a date associated with the STS-107 mission. - **Aliases**: It is also known by the aliases Spacehab Research Double Module and RDM. - **Country of Origin**: The module originated from the United States. - **Parent Class**: It belonged to the Spacehab family, a series of research and storage modules flown on the Space Shuttle. ## FAQs ### Q: What is the Research Double Module? A: The Research Double Module (RDM) is a laboratory module built by Spacehab. It was designed to be carried as a payload aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, providing additional space and facilities for scientific research during missions. ### Q: Who manufactured and operated the Research Double Module? A: The Research Double Module was manufactured by Astrotech Corporation, under the Spacehab designation. It was operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ### Q: When was the Research Double Module dissolved or abolished? A: The Research Double Module was dissolved, abolished, or demolished on February 1, 2003. This date is specifically associated with the STS-107 mission. ### Q: What was the primary purpose of the Research Double Module? A: The primary purpose of the Research Double Module was to serve as a dedicated laboratory for scientific research in space. It augmented the Space Shuttle's capabilities by providing additional volume and resources for experiments and storage. ## Why It Matters The Research Double Module (RDM) holds significance as a dedicated laboratory module that substantially expanded the scientific capabilities of the Space Shuttle program. As a Spacehab-built payload, it provided crucial additional space for research and experimentation during its missions, allowing for more complex and numerous experiments than the Space Shuttle's internal volume alone could accommodate. Its integration with the Space Shuttle Columbia enabled the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to conduct a broader range of scientific investigations in the microgravity environment of space. The RDM was part of the larger Spacehab family, a series of modules specifically designed to augment the Space Shuttle's inherent capacity for both research and storage. By offering a specialized, pressurized environment for scientific work, the Research Double Module played a vital role in advancing space-based research, enabling astronauts to perform experiments that contributed to various fields of study, from materials science to life sciences. Its existence underscored the commitment to maximizing the scientific return from human spaceflight missions and demonstrated the utility of modular payloads in extending the operational versatility of space vehicles. ## Notable For - Being a Spacehab-built laboratory module, part of a family of research and storage modules. - Its operation by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). - Its specific flight on the Space Shuttle Columbia as a payload. - Its classification as a "former entity," with its dissolution date of February 1, 2003, associated with the STS-107 mission. ## Body ### Overview The Research Double Module (RDM) is identified as a Spacehab-built laboratory. It is classified as a payload and a former entity. Its primary function was to serve as a research module. ### Aliases and Identifiers The entity is also known by the aliases "Spacehab Research Double Module" and "RDM". It has a Wikipedia title of "Spacehab Research Double Module" and a Commons category of "Spacehab research double module". Its Wikidata description states it as a "Spacehab-built laboratory flown on Space Shuttle Columbia". ### Manufacturing and Operation The Research Double Module was manufactured by Astrotech Corporation, specifically under the Spacehab designation. It originated from the United States. The module was operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ### Mission and Launch Vehicle The Research Double Module was flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia. It is related to the Space Shuttle class, which is a partially reusable launch system and space plane developed by NASA between 1981 and 2011. ### Status and Dissolution The Research Double Module is classified as a former entity. It was dissolved, abolished, or demolished on February 1, 2003. This date is specifically associated with the STS-107 mission. ### Classification and Family The Research Double Module is a subclass of Spacehab. Spacehab is a family of research and storage modules designed to be flown on the Space Shuttle, providing additional capabilities for space missions.