A Large Space Station Over Earth
Explanation:
The
International Space Station is the largest object ever constructed by humans
in space.
The
station perimeter now extends over roughly the area of a
football field, although
only a small fraction of this is composed of modules habitable by humans.
The
station is so large that it could not be
launched all at once --
it is being
built piecemeal with large sections added
continually by flights of the
Space Shuttle.
To function, the
ISS needs huge
trusses, some over 15 meters long and with masses over 10,000 kilograms, to
keep it rigid and to route
electricity and liquid coolants.
Pictured
above, part of the immense
space station was photographed out
of a window by a member of the visiting Space Shuttle Discovery
STS-131 crew.
Visible in the foreground is
Japan's
Kibo research module, while a large
truss is visible toward the left.
On the far right, a
crescent Earth
slices through the blackness of space.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
