One of the first engineers to work on Spacelab Alan Thirkettle talks hosts Ally and Stephen through the unexpected challenges and memorable moments of building a science laboratory for space.

This unique European-built research facility flew inside NASA's Space Shuttle. It enabled the first flight of a non-American astronaut on a NASA spacecraft in 1983. It also paved the way for ESA's current laboratory on the International Space Station and the future of research in space. 

Related watching:

Spacelab - a new direction
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/Undated/Spacelab_-_A_New_Direction#.X5AEwxB0wGw.link