一家美国公司目前建议研制适用于航天飞机轨道器货舱的载人舱,这个舱可为商业、科学和军事用户提供较大的工作范围,增加轨道器中的贮存容积,并且扩大适于居住的面积以使更大的乘员组能延长飞行。该舱叫做“空间居住舱”(Spacehab),它将被装入航天飞机轨道器货舱前部,并通过为欧洲“空间实验室”研制的隧道接合器装置与中层座舱连接。居住舱的工作和贮存容积将租借给用户。 A U.S. company currently proposes to develop a manned module for space shuttle orbiter cargo that provides a larger scope of work for commercial, scientific and military users, increases the storage capacity in the orbiter and expands the area suitable for housing So that the larger crew can extend the flight. The space, called the Spacehab, will be fitted into the space shuttle’s front and will be connected to the mid-cabin via a tunnel adapter developed for the European Space Laboratory. The living and storage capacity of the accommodation will be rented to the user.