PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
It will take 73 flights, 5 years, and billions of American dollars to complete
the International Space Station by the year 2004. Each piece will
be sent up and assembled in space. Different crews and flights are
scheduled throughout 1999 and the year 2000. Here is a partial list
of parts, their function and dates of flights to construct the ISS.
The
Zarya's was the first piece of the ISS to be lifted into space.
Here it is
is attached to Unity. Zarya's means sunrise in Russian.
Zarya- 41.2
feet long and 13.5.
Launch Date-November
20,1998 (launched)
Purpose- It provides
propulsive capability.
It provides fuel storage
This is the Unity piece, in blue, connected to Zarya. It is
the second piece of
the Space Station.
Unity Nobe-15 feet long, 22 feet in
diameter.
Launch Date-December
3,1998 (launched)
Purpose- Unity Nobe is a connecting passageway to
living and work areas
of the International Space Station. It has six hatches that serve
as docking
ports for other modules.
The
SpaceHab is the third piece of the ISS to be connected.
SPACEHAB Double
Cargo Module
Launch Date: - May
1999
Purpose - Resupply cargo
for station outfitting. Also carries external Russian
cargo crane to be mounted to exterior of ISS and will be used to perform
space walking maintenance activities.
The
Service Module the fourth piece of the ISS
SERVICE MODULE - 43
feet long and has 14 windows.
Launch Date: - July 1999
Purpose - The first living space for the
astronauts. Main
docking port for resupply vehicles
Another
SpaceHab
The SpaceHab is the 5th piece of the ISS to be connected.
SPACEHAB Double
Cargo Module
Launch Date: - August
1999
Purpose - Resupply cargo
for station outfitting.
Integrated
Truss Structure, the 6th piece of the ISS to be connected
Integrated Truss Structure - Outside
frame for solar panels
Launch Date:
-
October 1999
Purpose - Communication
system for television. Also for electrical power
Another
Integrated Truss Structure , the 7th piece of the ISS to be connected
Integrated Truss Structure - Part
of the solar arrays
Launch Date: -
December 1999
Purpose - Provides
the first solar power for ISS. Also will provide early cooling
system from its radiators. Also will have communication system for
voice.
First
flight in the year 2000 that will carry the first crew to live on the ISS.
They will stay onboard the ISS for 5 months.
Soyuz - Russian
built vehicle that will transport the first ISS crew
Launch Date: - January 2000
Purpose - Conducting different experiments,
putting more parts of the
ISS together and creating the first human
presence on the ISS
Pictures courtesy of Nasa's web site
To learn about the flights into the year 2000,
visit Nasa's web site at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/
Note: White text will not print
on white paper.
