Jim Oberg wrote:
such as solar panels, air locks and oxygen generators. It's called the
"hatch," and it just doesn't get any respect - despite the fact that its
4-foot-plus width gives the international space station capabilities that
are unprecedented in 30 years of orbital operations, going back to NASA's
Skylab and Russia's earliest outposts.

That hatch (CBM) is about to get very useless when the shuttle is
retired and the whole concept of MPLM becomes moot, unless the Japanese
actually develop and produce their HTV.

NASA should start its planning for the day when MPLM transfers are no
longer possible and plan all hardware to fit through the smaller soyuz
(or PMA) hatches.