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Credit & Copyright: STS-116 Shuttle Crew,
NASA
Explanation:
The International Space Station (ISS) will be the largest
human-made object ever to
orbit the
Earth.
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
trusses to keep it rigid and to route
electricity and liquid coolants.
These
trusses are huge, extending over 15 meters long,
and with masses over 10,000 kilograms.
Pictured above earlier this month,
astronauts
Robert L. Curbeam (USA) and
Christer Fuglesang (Sweden) work to attach
a new truss segment to the ISS and begin to upgrade the power grid.
APOD Editor to Discuss "Best of APOD
2006" Pictures in NYC on January 5
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: ISS
Publications with words: ISS
See also: