National Aeronautics andSpaceAdministration meters) of habitable volume – almost equal equal –almost volume of habitable meters) cubic (935 feet cubic 33,000 than more with members crew provides station complete the and of Zarya, launch the On more. much and research medical materials, technology, communications new, for industrial advanced laboratory aresearch and technologies future for bed atest is station the outpost, aresearch As undertaken. endeavor and scientific technological ever crew. complex most international the It is to an home is hour), and per kilometers traveling 17,500 at Earth, the (32,410 mph above (386.24 kilometers) miles statute 240 orbiting laboratory aworking is Station night sky, the expansive International Space eye naked the with the in visible Clearly 2011 time). 23, (USA May on undocking its following TMA-20 Soyuz the from Nespoli Paolo member crew 28 Endeavour Shuttle Space docked the and Station Space International the of image This An OrbitingLaboratory orbit assembly began in 1998 in with began assembly orbit , flying at an altitude of approximately 220 miles, was taken by Expedition Expedition by taken was miles, 220 approximately of altitude an at , flying Russian- • The Living now modules include: truss. payload and withelements, the elements robotics modules, research modules, living include that parts component several its with now is complete station space The components and scientific experiments. power to station all to electrical provide from the sun energy enough harness and 777 jetliner of aBoeing wingspan the zones. station’s The exceed panels solar end the toincluding aU.S. field, football equivalent is to which end, end meters) 361 (110.03 feet It measures kilograms). (419,600 pounds 925,000 weighs – and 747 Boeing to one-and-a-half jetliners Module and the Russia-provided Zvezda Russia-provided the and Module built, U.S.-funded Zarya U.S.-fundedbuilt, Zarya
NASAfacts Service Module, which contain station living quarters and life-support systems • Three nodes that increase crew living and working space and provide passageway between modules
Research modules now include: • The U.S.-built Destiny Laboratory, which expands the station’s scientific capabilities with experiment compartments that allow nearly continuous scientific research and provide additional life-support and robotic capabilities • The Cupola, a small module designed for the observation of operations outside the space station • The European-built Columbus module and Japanese-built Kibo experiment module, which hold experiment racks, exterior An aerial shot of the station from space. payload platforms and a storage module
Robotics elements comprise: • The Integrated Truss Structure, which is composed • The Canadian-built Mobile Servicing of multiple elements and forms the backbone of System that consists of the Canadarm2, the station a new-generation robotic arm that gives the station a movable space crane Since Expedition 1, which launched Oct. 31, 2000, and • The Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or docked days later on Nov. 2, the space station has been Dextre, a smaller two-armed robot capable of visited by more than 200 individuals from 15 different handling the delicate assembly tasks currently countries and has had continuous human occupation. handled by astronauts during spacewalks Approximately another 120 crew members will live • The Mobile Base System, a work platform aboard the station over the next decade. that moves along rails covering the length of the space station and provides lateral mobility for the Canadarm2
Payload elements and the truss: Space Station Facts
• The Russian-built Pirs docking compartment, which More than 100 space flights will have been adds additional spacewalking and docking conducted on five different types of launch capabilities to the station vehicles over the course of the station’s • The U.S.-built Unity connecting module, providing construction. docking ports for several station components • The U.S.-built Quest airlock, a doorway to space that supports station-based spacewalks
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 www.nasa.gov
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