ESA title
Science & Exploration

Space Station scrapbook

19/11/2013 21166 views
ESA / Science & Exploration / Human and Robotic Exploration / International Space Station / Highlights

From the launch of the first module Zarya in 1998, the International Space Station has grown to the size of a football field, with three laboratories, a gymnasium and an observatory.

The first American module, Unity, was attached to Zarya three weeks later, followed by the second Russian module, Zvezda, in 2000. The first crew to start continuous occupation, Expedition-1, arrived in 2000. Two trusses were installed in 2000 to hold the large solar wings that are characteristic of the orbital outpost.

The US laboratory Destiny arrived in 2001. From 2002 to 2007 the solar wings, connecting nodes and docking ports were installed. Two laboratory modules arrived in 2008: ESA’s Columbus and Japan’s Kibo. The Cupola observatory was installed in 2010.

The Station is a complete orbital research and technology laboratory, and is used to test systems and operations for future space exploration. These activities improve the quality of life on Earth by increasing our scientific knowledge from out-of-this-world research.

  • Agency

    Zarya

    19/11/2013 2078 views 18 likes
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    Zarya
  • Science & Exploration

    Unity docked with Zarya

    28/12/1998 1772 views 16 likes
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    Unity docked with Zarya
  • Agency

    Unity, Zarya and Zvezda

    18/09/2008 4404 views 27 likes
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    Unity, Zarya and Zvezda
  • Science & Exploration

    Expedition 1

    19/11/2013 1892 views 9 likes
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    Expedition 1 crew
  • Science & Exploration

    Umberto Guidoni entering the Zarya module of the ISS

    25/07/2001 1436 views 8 likes
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    Umberto Guidoni entering the Zarya module of the ISS
  • Science & Exploration

    Space Station with P1 truss

    19/11/2013 2267 views 7 likes
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    Space Station
  • Science & Exploration

    Thomas Reiter works on a cooling line in the S1 truss of the International Space Station

    07/08/2006 1600 views 10 likes
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    Thomas Reiter works on a cooling line of the International Space Station
  • Science & Exploration

    The International Space Station following the STS-116 mission

    20/12/2006 2230 views 10 likes
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    The International Space Station following the STS-116 mission
  • Science & Exploration

    Columbus laboratory moved into place with Canadarm2

    13/02/2013 1394 views 11 likes
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    Columbus laboratory moved into place with Canadarm2
  • Science & Exploration

    The International Space Station seen from Space Shuttle Discovery after the STS-124 mission

    17/06/2008 4126 views 85 likes
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    International Space Station
  • Science & Exploration

    HTV approaches the International Space Station

    25/09/2009 894 views 7 likes
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    HTV approaches Station
  • Science & Exploration

    Expedition 20 inflight portrait inside the Harmony module

    22/06/2009 1411 views 3 likes
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    Expedition 20 crew
  • Science & Exploration

    Astronaut Nicholas Patrick working with the Cupola

    18/02/2010 2289 views 6 likes
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    Installing Cupola
  • Science & Exploration

    Atlantis docked to ISS

    19/11/2013 5622 views 36 likes
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    Space Shuttle with Space Station
  • Science & Exploration

    The International Space Station with ATV-2 and Endeavour

    08/06/2011 1889 views 9 likes
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    The International Space Station with ATV-2 and Endeavour