Stock Photo - 11/18/1998 __ Workers peer through the hatch of an end_cone on the U.S. laboratory module, an element of the International Space Station. The lab is undergoing pre_launch preparations before its launch aboard the Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS_98. The laboratory comprises three cylindrical sections with two end cones. Each end_cone contains a hatch opening for entering and exiting the lab. The lab will provide a shirtsleeve environment for research in the areas of life science, microgravity science, Earth science and space science. Designated Flight 5A, this mission is targeted for launch in early 2000