The Spacelab is designed to be fitted into the load bay of a space shuttle, and like the space shuttle, it can be used over and over again. The main component of the Spacelab is its laboratory module. By being pressurised with air it enables the scientists to work without having to wear spacesuits. The other section is the pallet (or open platform) which carries necessary equipment and instruments. A maximum of four scientists can work within the Spacelab at any one time. They share the crew quarters used by the astronauts piloting the shuttle. The scientists do not have to be fully qualified astronauts and can travel into space after only a few weeks of intensive training.
It is hoped that in future, Spacelabs will be able to join together to create larger space stations. These will be transported into space by means of a shuttle and then fitted together there. The construction engineers could use these stations as a base. From there they might be able to build even bigger structures, which could quite feasibly include solar power satellites or vast communication platforms.
