JEF (JEM-EF)

JEM-EF (JEF) [JAXA]

The JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) - a.k.a. Kibo - consisting of three modules, is the Japanese segment of the international space station ISS.

Exposed Facility (EF) is located outside the ISS and is exposed to outer space all the time. On ISS, the EF and the truss facilities are the only locations where the space environment can directly be utilized. Astronauts exchange experiment payloads or devices from the pressurized module mainly utilizing the Kibo manipulator.

The world's largest wide-angle X-ray camera will be mounted on the platform, to make observations of space, examine the phenomena beyond our galaxy, and refine our map of the distribution of the galaxies.

Another payload to be mounted at the JEM-EF is the OCO 3 instrument, which is planned for the 2018 timeframe.