Above is a picture I took at Kennedy Space Center in October 2000 of the Leonardo module for the International Space Station. Originally it was known as the Leonardo MPLM or MPLM-1 (MPLM standing for Multi-Purpose Logistics Module). It was built in Italy and designed to carry cargo to the ISS onboard the Space Shuttle. In other words, it was a fancy cargo container. Because it had to also function as a space station module it included life support, fire detection and suppression, electrical distribution and computer components. So it was a VERY fancy cargo container. It would be removed from the Shuttle’s cargo bay in orbit and attached to the ISS so that new supplies could be offloaded and trash or other things that needed to be returned to Earth could be loaded onto it. It would then be detached, reloaded into the Space Shuttle and returned home.
Leonardo was one of three MPLMs and it was the first one launched in 2001. It made a total of eight trips to the ISS, the last being in 2011. After it’s second to last flight in 2010, it was modified so that on its last flight it could become a permanent part of the ISS.
After modifications, it became known as the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module (or PMM). It was initially connected to the Earth facing port of the Unity module in 2011 and later relocated to the forward facing port of the Tranquility module. This was so that the Unity port can be used for future manned NASA flights. Today, Leonardo is used to store spare parts, supplies and trash. Still, not bad for a former cargo container.