Code, crew and control rooms

Columbus has also played a role in education and outreach. Programmes like AstroPi have allowed over 163 000 students to run their own code aboard the Space Station, inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Behind the scenes, operations are managed 24/7 by dedicated teams at the Columbus Contol Centre close to Munich in Germany who have run more than 19 000 shifts since Columbus was installed. These teams ensure the module remains safe, efficient and scientifically productive, coordinating everything from system checks to astronaut support.

16 ESA astronauts, as well as astronauts from non-European nations including the United States, Canada, Japan and others, have worked inside Columbus. Some have even used the module as a temporary living space, sleeping inside the CASA crew quarter.

As Columbus reaches this milestone, it stands as a symbol of European excellence in space—more than just a module, it is a laboratory, a classroom and a collaborative platform whose technologies inspired other major European space programmes, including the Orion European Service Module, propelling humanity to the Moon as part of the Artemis programme.