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Space Shuttle Orbiter and Earth by Christer Fuglesang
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Upgrading the International
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| Title |
Upgrading the International Space Station |
| Explanation |
The International Space Station [ http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/ISS_OVR/index.htm ] (ISS) will be the largest human-made object ever to orbit [ http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/orbv.html ] the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010204.html ]. The station [ http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/ISS_OVR/orbit_assembly.htm ] is so large that it could not be launched [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010723.html ] all at once -- it is being built piecemeal [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/assembly/ndxpage1.html ] with large sections added continually by flights of the Space Shuttle [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990411.html ]. To function, the ISS needs trusses [ http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html ] to keep it rigid and to route electricity [ http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static.html ] and liquid coolants. These trusses [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/elements/its/ ] are huge, extending over 15 meters long, and with masses over 10,000 kilograms. Pictured above [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-116/html/s116e05983.html ] earlier this month, astronauts [ http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/astronauts/wannabe.html ] Robert L. Curbeam [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/curbeam.html ] (USA) and Christer Fuglesang [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/fuglesan.html ] (Sweden) work to attach a new truss segment [ http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/news/STS-116-07.html ] to the ISS and begin to upgrade the power grid. |
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| General Description |
STS-116 Shuttle Mission Imagery |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
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| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crew members of mission STS-116 gather around the table for breakfast before suiting up for a second launch attempt aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. From left are Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick, Pilot William Oefelein, Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham, Commander Mark Polansky, and Mission Specialists Sunita Williams, Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, who represents the European Space Agency. Williams will replace Expedition 14 crew member Thomas Reiter, who will return to Earth aboard Discovery in her place. The first launch attempt of STS-116 Dec. 7 was postponed due a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. This second launch attempt is scheduled for 8:47 p.m. This is Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2002. The 20th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-116 carries another truss segment, P5. It will serve as a spacer, mated to the P4 truss that was attached in September. After installing the P5, the crew will reconfigure and redistribute the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. Landing is expected Dec. 19 at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett |
| Release Date |
12/09/2006 |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
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| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crew members of mission STS-116 gather around the table for breakfast before suiting up for launch aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. From left are Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick, Pilot William Oefelein, Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham, Commander Mark Polansky, and Mission Specialists Sunita Williams, Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, who represents the European Space Agency. Williams will replace the International Space Station's Expedition 14 crew member Thomas Reiter, who will return to Earth aboard Discovery in her place. This is Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2003. The 20th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-116 carries another truss segment, P5. It will serve as a spacer, mated to the P4 truss that was attached in September. After installing the P5, the crew will reconfigure and redistribute the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. Landing is expected Dec. 19 at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett |
| Release Date |
12/07/2006 |
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