The Integrated Truss Structure (ITS) of the International Space Station (ISS) consists of a linearly arranged sequence of connected trusses on which various unpressurized components are mounted, such as logistics carriers, radiators, solar arrays, and other equipment. It supplies the ISS with a bus architecture. All truss components were named after their planned end-positions: Z for zenith, S for starboard …
The International Space Station (ISS) is a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. It is the largest artificial body in orbit and can be seen with naked eye from Earth. The ISS consists of pressurized modules, external trusses, solar arrays, and other components. ISS components have been launched by American Space Shuttle missions, and Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets. …
External stowage platforms (ESPs) are key components of the International Space Station (ISS). Each platform is an external pallet that can hold spare parts, also known as Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs), for the space station. As a platform it is not pressurized, but does require electricity to power the heaters of some of the stored equipment. ORUs are attached to …
Tranquility, also known as Node 3, is a module of the International Space Station (ISS). ESA and the Italian Space Agency had Tranquility built by Thales Alenia Space. A ceremony on November 20, 2009 transferred ownership of the module to NASA. The module provides six berthing locations, but three of those locations are disabled, as modules originally planned to be …
The Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) is primarily used for storage of spares, supplies and waste on the ISS, which is currently stored in many different places within the space station. The Leonardo PMM was a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) before 2011, but was modified into its current configuration. It was formerly one of three MPLM used for bringing cargo …
The Unity connecting module was the first U.S.-built component of the International Space Station. It is cylindrical in shape, with six berthing locations (forward, aft, port, starboard, zenith, and nadir) facilitating connections to other modules. Sometimes referred to as Node 1, Unity was the first of the three connecting modules; the other two are Harmony and Tranquility.
The Destiny module is the primary operating facility for U.S. research payloads aboard the International Space Station (ISS). It was berthed to the Unity module and activated over a period of five days in February, 2001. Destiny is NASA’s first permanent operating orbital research station since Skylab was vacated in February 1974. Astronauts work inside the pressurized facility to conduct …
Columbus is a science laboratory that is part of the International Space Station (ISS) and is the largest single contribution to the ISS made by the European Space Agency (ESA). Like the Harmony and Tranquility modules, the Columbus laboratory was constructed in Turin, Italy by Rome based Thales Alenia Space with respect to structures and thermal control. The functional architecture …