SHUTTLE UPDATE - KSC/MSFC
Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for a February 7 launch the International Space Station. The STS-122 Crew lead by Commander Steve Frick are slated to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A at 2:45 p.m. Eastern. Testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center indicates that the fuel sensor problems, which caused STS-122 to be delayed, have been fixed. A redesigned connector on the engine cutoff sensors has passed tough cryogenic and vibration tests, verifying its readiness for flight.

ISS SPACEWALK - JSC
astronaut Andy Thomas met with members of Virginia's General Assembly to highlight the contributions that Langley and the Wallops Flight Facility have made to the state's aerospace industry. Thomas also spoke with students about his career in space exploration. Together, Langley and Wallops provide 10-thousand high-paying jobs and generate more than a billion dollars for Virginia's economy. Further south, representatives from the Stennis Space Center visited the state capital in Jackson to meet with legislators as part of NASA Space Day in Mississippi. Stennis and its nearly 5-thousand employees had an estimated impact of $839 million on Mississippi's economy in 2007, a 27 percent increase from the previous year.

Veteran astronaut Mike Foale thanked Mississippi legislators for their continued support of NASA.

ARES LIVE! - MSFC
Steve Cook, the Ares Project Manager at the Marshall Space Flight Center, took part in a live, televised discussion with Huntsville area middle school students. WHNT-TV, Huntsville's CBS affiliate, and E-TV, the city's educational channel, broadcast the one-hour event. Select students interacted with Cook through a Digital Learning Network; others emailed Cook questions about Ares, NASA's launch vehicles that will take humans back to the moon and later to Mars and other destinations.

EXPLORER 1 - JPL
A half-century ago, Explorer 1 became America's first Earth-orbiting satellite. In Huntsville, the birthplace of the U.S. space program, remembering Explorer was part of a gala celebration for the grand opening of the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. The gala also kicked off a yearlong commemoration of NASA's 50th anniversary by Discovery Communications with special events, projects and programming in partnership with the agency. Dr. Wernher von Braun and his team designed, tested and built Explorer's rocket at the Marshall Space Flight Center, in Huntsville. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which built the Explorer 1 spacecraft, celebrated with numerous events. JPL also produced a documentary about Explorer to air on Los Angeles public TV, and nationally on Discovery HD Theatre and NASA Television. The launch of Explorer 1 50 years ago propelled America into the space age.

And that's This Week At NASA!

Duration : 0:6:48

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This Week At NASA — 02-01-08 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: aviation, future, ISS, nasa, shuttle, space

"Star Wars Returns," a video documentary exposing how the Bush administration is moving to make space a new arena of war, in violation of the intent of international law, has just been released by EnviroVideo.

The documentary is being distributed in the U.S. and around the world." Star Wars Returns" is narrated and was written by investigative reporter and journalism Professor Karl Grossman, directed and edited by Emmy Award-winner Steve Jambeck and produced by Joan Flynn.

It presents U.S. military documents setting forth U.S. plans to "control space" and from space "dominate" the earth below. It reveals the multi-billion dollar U.S. development program now underway to produce space-based laser weapons, and that far more than "missile defense" is involved. It also details the international opposition to the U.S. Star Wars program.

"Star Wars Returns" explores the recently issued report of the Space Commission chaired by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld which calls for U.S. "power projection in, from and through space" and declares: "In the coming period the U.S. will conduct operations to, from, in and through space in support of its national interests both on earth and in space."

U.S. Senator Bob Smith, who wrote the legislation establishing the Rumsfeld Space Commission, asserts in "Star Wars Returns" about U.S. "control" of space: "It is our manifest destiny. You know we went from the East Coast to the West Coast of the United States of America settling the continent and they call that manifest destiny and the next continent if you will, the next frontier, is space and it goes on forever."

Others appearing in "Star Wars Returns" are Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space; Rear Admiral Eugene Carroll (USN, ret.), vice president of the Center for Defense Information; Congressman Dennis Kucinich; physicist Dr. Vandana Shiva of India; Bill Sulzman, director of Citizens for Peace in Space; Dr. Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at the City University of New York; editor Loring Wirbel; and Regina Hagen, a Global Network director.

Also interviewed is Craig Eisendrath who, as a U.S. State Department officer, was central in drafting the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the intent of which the U.S. is now preparing to violate, charges Eisendrath in "Star Wars Returns." It is the basic international law on space, ratified by most countries of the world, and sets space aside for "peaceful purposes."

Duration : 0:9:34

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Star wars returns – Free speech tv. 1 of 3 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: atomic, bomb, Iran, Iraq, lasers, nasa, nuclear, nuke, PNAC, sattelite, shuttle, space, star, war, wars

EARTH SCIENCE - HQ
NASA's Earth science program previewed its major activities for 2008. These include the launch of two new Earth-observing missions. OCO, for Orbiting Carbon Observatory, will measure the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, to enhance our understanding of this greenhouse gas. The Ocean Surface Topography Mission, or OSTM, will monitor critical changes in ocean currents and heat storage in the world's seas -- and how they could affect our climate.

Alan Stern: "...We have a very healthy development program on our plate. That development program comprises about four billion dollars in hardware, going to orbit to study the earth, its environment and climate change."

In all, NASA's Earth science program will have 21 missions underway in 2008, the better to understand the intricate workings of our home planet.

ANTARCTIC ICE - JPL
A team of scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of California at Irvine, have found that ice loss in Antarctica increased by 75 percent over the past 10 years. A speed-up in the flow of its glaciers is to blame, mostly due to warmer ocean waters. Antarctic ice loss is now almost equal to that seen in Greenland.

HOT TIMES - GSFC
And, scientists at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies say 2007 was the second hottest year on record. An analysis of global temperature data from last year reveals that 2007 ties that "second hottest year" distinction with 1998. GISS records show that the eight warmest years have all occurred since 1998. The warmest year on record is 2005; NASA scientists predict that record will fall within the next three years.

SHUTTLE UPDATE - KSC
All systems appear to be "go" for the Feb. 7 launch of space shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station. Commanded by Steve Frick, the seven-member STS-122 mission crew will attach and activate the European Space Agency's Columbus Laboratory. Frick's crew is pilot Alan Poindexter, mission specialists Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Stanley Love, and Léopold Eyharts and Hans Schlegel of the European Space Agency. Liftoff on February 7th is targeted for 2:45 p.m. eastern standard time.

LIFE IN SPACE - JSC
Members of the Expedition 16 crew aboard the International Space Station talked about their mission with students and media back on Earth. Speaking with students from Wichita, Kansas, Commander Peggy Whitson and flight engineer Dan Tani encouraged the youngsters to stick to their studies -- and aim high.

Peggy Whitson: "... I'm one of those kids that watched the guys walk on the moon and thought, wow what a cool job; I want to do that job. When I graduated from high school, it was the first year they picked female astronauts, and I decided that I wanted to become an astronaut. I went to college of course, and then I got a PhD in biochemistry and immediately after that started working for NASA, but it was ten years of applying many, many times trying to become an astronaut." PAST AND FUTURE - GRC
Two ceremonies at the Glenn Research Center highlighted its history and future. The first commemorated the center's groundbreaking in 1941, when it was established by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics as one of three such research centers nationwide. Displayed were the Act of Congress plaque, and the original pick and shovel used at the groundbreaking 67 years ago.

The second ceremony featured the rollout of Glenn's refurbished S-3 Viking aircraft. Following its acquisition from the Navy in 2004, the aircraft underwent extensive modifications. The S-3 has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility for research, such as the effects of icing on aircraft.

And that's This Week At NASA!

Duration : 0:4:27

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This Week at NASA — 1-25-08 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: aviation, nasa, space

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing until at least 2015. The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, and, as of 2009[update], is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, with a mass larger than that of any previous space station. The ISS serves as a long-term research laboratory in space, with experiments in fields including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology being carried out daily in the station's microgravity environment. The station also provides a safe testing location for efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS and its experiments are operated by long-duration Expedition crews, with the station being continuously staffed since the first resident crew, Expedition 1, arrived on 2 November 2000. This has provided an uninterrupted human presence in space for the last 9 years and 52 days. As of 1 December 2009 (2009 -12-01)[update], the crew of Expedition 22 is aboard.

The ISS represents a synthesis of several space station projects including the American Freedom, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the European Columbus and the Japanese Kibō. Budget issues led to the separate projects being merged into a single multi-national space station. The ISS project began in 1994 with the Shuttle-Mir programme, and the first module of the station, Zarya, was launched in 1998 by Russia. Assembly has been ongoing, with a complex of pressurised modules, external trusses and other components being launched by American Space Shuttles, Russian Proton rockets and Russian Soyuz rockets. As of November 2009[update], the station consists of eleven pressurised modules and an extensive Integrated Truss Structure (ITS). Power is provided by sixteen large solar arrays mounted on the external truss, in addition to four smaller arrays on Russian modules. The station is maintained at an orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7 orbits per day.

The ISS is operated as a joint project between the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Ownership and utilisation of the space station is set out via several intergovernmental treaties and agreements, with the Russian Federation retaining full ownership of its own modules, and the rest of the station being allocated between the other international partners. The cost of the station project has been estimated by ESA as €100 billion over a course of 30 years, although cost estimates vary between 35 billion dollars and 160 billion dollars, making the ISS the most expensive object ever constructed. This large cost has meant that the ISS programme has been the target of various criticisms over its financing, research capabilities and technical design.

The various sections of the station are controlled by several mission control centres on the ground, including MCC-H, TsUP, Col-CC, ATV-CC, JEM-CC, HTV-CC and MSS-CC. The station is serviced by a wide variety of manned and unmanned spacecraft, including the Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Automated Transfer Vehicle, and H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.

.
Imax International Space Station ISS Research Facility Laboratory Low Earth Orbit Artificial Satellite Experiments Biology Physics Astronomy Meteorology Aeronautics Exploration Microgravity Environment Spacecraft Systems Moon Mars Expedition Soviet Russian Mir American Freedom European Columbus Japanese Kibō Zarya Proton Rockets Soyuz Modules Solar Arrays NASA RKA JAXA CSA ESA

Duration : 0:9:48

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Space Station 6 of 6 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: Aeronautics, American, Arrays, Artificial, Astronomy, Biology, Columbus, CSA, Earth, environment, ESA, European, Expedition, Experiments, Exploration, Facility, freedom, imax, International, ISS, Japanese, JAXA, Kibō, Laboratory, Low, mars, Meteorology, Microgravity, Mir, Modules, moon, nasa, Orbit, physics, proton, research, RKA, Rockets, Russian, Satellite, Solar, Soviet, Soyuz, space, Spacecraft, Station, Systems, Zarya

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing until at least 2015. The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, and, as of 2009[update], is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, with a mass larger than that of any previous space station. The ISS serves as a long-term research laboratory in space, with experiments in fields including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology being carried out daily in the station's microgravity environment. The station also provides a safe testing location for efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS and its experiments are operated by long-duration Expedition crews, with the station being continuously staffed since the first resident crew, Expedition 1, arrived on 2 November 2000. This has provided an uninterrupted human presence in space for the last 9 years and 52 days. As of 1 December 2009 (2009 -12-01)[update], the crew of Expedition 22 is aboard.

The ISS represents a synthesis of several space station projects including the American Freedom, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the European Columbus and the Japanese Kibō. Budget issues led to the separate projects being merged into a single multi-national space station. The ISS project began in 1994 with the Shuttle-Mir programme, and the first module of the station, Zarya, was launched in 1998 by Russia. Assembly has been ongoing, with a complex of pressurised modules, external trusses and other components being launched by American Space Shuttles, Russian Proton rockets and Russian Soyuz rockets. As of November 2009[update], the station consists of eleven pressurised modules and an extensive Integrated Truss Structure (ITS). Power is provided by sixteen large solar arrays mounted on the external truss, in addition to four smaller arrays on Russian modules. The station is maintained at an orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7 orbits per day.

The ISS is operated as a joint project between the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Ownership and utilisation of the space station is set out via several intergovernmental treaties and agreements, with the Russian Federation retaining full ownership of its own modules, and the rest of the station being allocated between the other international partners. The cost of the station project has been estimated by ESA as €100 billion over a course of 30 years, although cost estimates vary between 35 billion dollars and 160 billion dollars, making the ISS the most expensive object ever constructed. This large cost has meant that the ISS programme has been the target of various criticisms over its financing, research capabilities and technical design.

The various sections of the station are controlled by several mission control centres on the ground, including MCC-H, TsUP, Col-CC, ATV-CC, JEM-CC, HTV-CC and MSS-CC. The station is serviced by a wide variety of manned and unmanned spacecraft, including the Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Automated Transfer Vehicle, and H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.

.
Imax International Space Station ISS Research Facility Laboratory Low Earth Orbit Artificial Satellite Experiments Biology Physics Astronomy Meteorology Aeronautics Exploration Microgravity Environment Spacecraft Systems Moon Mars Expedition Soviet Russian Mir American Freedom European Columbus Japanese Kibō Zarya Proton Rockets Soyuz Modules Solar Arrays NASA RKA JAXA CSA ESA

Duration : 0:10:39

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Space Station 3 of 6 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: Aeronautics, American, Arrays, Artificial, Astronomy, Biology, Columbus, CSA, Earth, environment, ESA, European, Expedition, Experiments, Exploration, Facility, freedom, imax, International, ISS, Japanese, JAXA, Kibō, Laboratory, Low, mars, Meteorology, Microgravity, Mir, Modules, moon, nasa, Orbit, physics, proton, research, RKA, Rockets, Russian, Satellite, Solar, Soviet, Soyuz, space, Spacecraft, Station, Systems, Zarya

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing until at least 2015. The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, and, as of 2009[update], is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, with a mass larger than that of any previous space station. The ISS serves as a long-term research laboratory in space, with experiments in fields including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology being carried out daily in the station's microgravity environment. The station also provides a safe testing location for efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS and its experiments are operated by long-duration Expedition crews, with the station being continuously staffed since the first resident crew, Expedition 1, arrived on 2 November 2000. This has provided an uninterrupted human presence in space for the last 9 years and 52 days. As of 1 December 2009 (2009 -12-01)[update], the crew of Expedition 22 is aboard.

The ISS represents a synthesis of several space station projects including the American Freedom, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the European Columbus and the Japanese Kibō. Budget issues led to the separate projects being merged into a single multi-national space station. The ISS project began in 1994 with the Shuttle-Mir programme, and the first module of the station, Zarya, was launched in 1998 by Russia. Assembly has been ongoing, with a complex of pressurised modules, external trusses and other components being launched by American Space Shuttles, Russian Proton rockets and Russian Soyuz rockets. As of November 2009[update], the station consists of eleven pressurised modules and an extensive Integrated Truss Structure (ITS). Power is provided by sixteen large solar arrays mounted on the external truss, in addition to four smaller arrays on Russian modules. The station is maintained at an orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7 orbits per day.

The ISS is operated as a joint project between the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Ownership and utilisation of the space station is set out via several intergovernmental treaties and agreements, with the Russian Federation retaining full ownership of its own modules, and the rest of the station being allocated between the other international partners. The cost of the station project has been estimated by ESA as €100 billion over a course of 30 years, although cost estimates vary between 35 billion dollars and 160 billion dollars, making the ISS the most expensive object ever constructed. This large cost has meant that the ISS programme has been the target of various criticisms over its financing, research capabilities and technical design.

The various sections of the station are controlled by several mission control centres on the ground, including MCC-H, TsUP, Col-CC, ATV-CC, JEM-CC, HTV-CC and MSS-CC. The station is serviced by a wide variety of manned and unmanned spacecraft, including the Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Automated Transfer Vehicle, and H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.

.
Imax International Space Station ISS Research Facility Laboratory Low Earth Orbit Artificial Satellite Experiments Biology Physics Astronomy Meteorology Aeronautics Exploration Microgravity Environment Spacecraft Systems Moon Mars Expedition Soviet Russian Mir American Freedom European Columbus Japanese Kibō Zarya Proton Rockets Soyuz Modules Solar Arrays NASA RKA JAXA CSA ESA

Duration : 0:10:36

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Space Station 2 of 6 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: Aeronautics, American, Arrays, Artificial, Astronomy, Biology, Columbus, CSA, Earth, environment, ESA, European, Expedition, Experiments, Exploration, Facility, freedom, imax, International, ISS, Japanese, JAXA, Kibō, Laboratory, Low, mars, Meteorology, Microgravity, Mir, Modules, moon, nasa, Orbit, physics, proton, research, RKA, Rockets, Russian, Satellite, Solar, Soviet, Soyuz, space, Spacecraft, Station, Systems, Zarya

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing until at least 2015. The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, and, as of 2009[update], is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, with a mass larger than that of any previous space station. The ISS serves as a long-term research laboratory in space, with experiments in fields including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology being carried out daily in the station's microgravity environment. The station also provides a safe testing location for efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS and its experiments are operated by long-duration Expedition crews, with the station being continuously staffed since the first resident crew, Expedition 1, arrived on 2 November 2000. This has provided an uninterrupted human presence in space for the last 9 years and 52 days. As of 1 December 2009 (2009 -12-01)[update], the crew of Expedition 22 is aboard.

The ISS represents a synthesis of several space station projects including the American Freedom, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the European Columbus and the Japanese Kibō. Budget issues led to the separate projects being merged into a single multi-national space station. The ISS project began in 1994 with the Shuttle-Mir programme, and the first module of the station, Zarya, was launched in 1998 by Russia. Assembly has been ongoing, with a complex of pressurised modules, external trusses and other components being launched by American Space Shuttles, Russian Proton rockets and Russian Soyuz rockets. As of November 2009[update], the station consists of eleven pressurised modules and an extensive Integrated Truss Structure (ITS). Power is provided by sixteen large solar arrays mounted on the external truss, in addition to four smaller arrays on Russian modules. The station is maintained at an orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7 orbits per day.

The ISS is operated as a joint project between the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Ownership and utilisation of the space station is set out via several intergovernmental treaties and agreements, with the Russian Federation retaining full ownership of its own modules, and the rest of the station being allocated between the other international partners. The cost of the station project has been estimated by ESA as €100 billion over a course of 30 years, although cost estimates vary between 35 billion dollars and 160 billion dollars, making the ISS the most expensive object ever constructed. This large cost has meant that the ISS programme has been the target of various criticisms over its financing, research capabilities and technical design.

The various sections of the station are controlled by several mission control centres on the ground, including MCC-H, TsUP, Col-CC, ATV-CC, JEM-CC, HTV-CC and MSS-CC. The station is serviced by a wide variety of manned and unmanned spacecraft, including the Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Automated Transfer Vehicle, and H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.

.
Imax International Space Station ISS Research Facility Laboratory Low Earth Orbit Artificial Satellite Experiments Biology Physics Astronomy Meteorology Aeronautics Exploration Microgravity Environment Spacecraft Systems Moon Mars Expedition Soviet Russian Mir American Freedom European Columbus Japanese Kibō Zarya Proton Rockets Soyuz Modules Solar Arrays NASA RKA JAXA CSA ESA

Duration : 0:10:53

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Space Station 5 of 6 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: Aeronautics, American, Arrays, Artificial, Astronomy, Biology, Columbus, CSA, Earth, environment, ESA, European, Expedition, Experiments, Exploration, Facility, freedom, imax, International, ISS, Japanese, JAXA, Kibō, Laboratory, Low, mars, Meteorology, Microgravity, Mir, Modules, moon, nasa, Orbit, physics, proton, research, RKA, Rockets, Russian, Satellite, Solar, Soviet, Soyuz, space, Spacecraft, Station, Systems, Zarya

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing until at least 2015. The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, and, as of 2009[update], is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, with a mass larger than that of any previous space station. The ISS serves as a long-term research laboratory in space, with experiments in fields including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology being carried out daily in the station's microgravity environment. The station also provides a safe testing location for efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS and its experiments are operated by long-duration Expedition crews, with the station being continuously staffed since the first resident crew, Expedition 1, arrived on 2 November 2000. This has provided an uninterrupted human presence in space for the last 9 years and 52 days. As of 1 December 2009 (2009 -12-01)[update], the crew of Expedition 22 is aboard.

The ISS represents a synthesis of several space station projects including the American Freedom, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the European Columbus and the Japanese Kibō. Budget issues led to the separate projects being merged into a single multi-national space station. The ISS project began in 1994 with the Shuttle-Mir programme, and the first module of the station, Zarya, was launched in 1998 by Russia. Assembly has been ongoing, with a complex of pressurised modules, external trusses and other components being launched by American Space Shuttles, Russian Proton rockets and Russian Soyuz rockets. As of November 2009[update], the station consists of eleven pressurised modules and an extensive Integrated Truss Structure (ITS). Power is provided by sixteen large solar arrays mounted on the external truss, in addition to four smaller arrays on Russian modules. The station is maintained at an orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7 orbits per day.

The ISS is operated as a joint project between the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Ownership and utilisation of the space station is set out via several intergovernmental treaties and agreements, with the Russian Federation retaining full ownership of its own modules, and the rest of the station being allocated between the other international partners. The cost of the station project has been estimated by ESA as €100 billion over a course of 30 years, although cost estimates vary between 35 billion dollars and 160 billion dollars, making the ISS the most expensive object ever constructed. This large cost has meant that the ISS programme has been the target of various criticisms over its financing, research capabilities and technical design.

The various sections of the station are controlled by several mission control centres on the ground, including MCC-H, TsUP, Col-CC, ATV-CC, JEM-CC, HTV-CC and MSS-CC. The station is serviced by a wide variety of manned and unmanned spacecraft, including the Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Automated Transfer Vehicle, and H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.

Duration : 0:10:33

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Space Station 4 of 6 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: Aeronautics, American, Arrays, Artificial, Astronomy, Biology, Columbus, CSA, Earth, environment, ESA, European, Expedition, Experiments, Exploration, Facility, freedom, imax, International, ISS, Japanese, JAXA, Kibō, Laboratory, Low, mars, Meteorology, Microgravity, Mir, Modules, moon, nasa, Orbit, physics, proton, research, RKA, Rockets, Russian, Satellite, Solar, Soviet, Soyuz, space, Spacecraft, Station, Systems, Zarya

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing until at least 2015. The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, and, as of 2009[update], is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, with a mass larger than that of any previous space station. The ISS serves as a long-term research laboratory in space, with experiments in fields including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology being carried out daily in the station's microgravity environment. The station also provides a safe testing location for efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS and its experiments are operated by long-duration Expedition crews, with the station being continuously staffed since the first resident crew, Expedition 1, arrived on 2 November 2000. This has provided an uninterrupted human presence in space for the last 9 years and 52 days. As of 1 December 2009 (2009 -12-01)[update], the crew of Expedition 22 is aboard.

The ISS represents a synthesis of several space station projects including the American Freedom, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the European Columbus and the Japanese Kibō. Budget issues led to the separate projects being merged into a single multi-national space station. The ISS project began in 1994 with the Shuttle-Mir programme, and the first module of the station, Zarya, was launched in 1998 by Russia. Assembly has been ongoing, with a complex of pressurised modules, external trusses and other components being launched by American Space Shuttles, Russian Proton rockets and Russian Soyuz rockets. As of November 2009[update], the station consists of eleven pressurised modules and an extensive Integrated Truss Structure (ITS). Power is provided by sixteen large solar arrays mounted on the external truss, in addition to four smaller arrays on Russian modules. The station is maintained at an orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7 orbits per day.

The ISS is operated as a joint project between the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Ownership and utilisation of the space station is set out via several intergovernmental treaties and agreements, with the Russian Federation retaining full ownership of its own modules, and the rest of the station being allocated between the other international partners. The cost of the station project has been estimated by ESA as €100 billion over a course of 30 years, although cost estimates vary between 35 billion dollars and 160 billion dollars, making the ISS the most expensive object ever constructed. This large cost has meant that the ISS programme has been the target of various criticisms over its financing, research capabilities and technical design.

The various sections of the station are controlled by several mission control centres on the ground, including MCC-H, TsUP, Col-CC, ATV-CC, JEM-CC, HTV-CC and MSS-CC. The station is serviced by a wide variety of manned and unmanned spacecraft, including the Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Automated Transfer Vehicle, and H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.

Duration : 0:9:46

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Space Station 1 of 6 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: Aeronautics, American, Arrays, Artificial, Astronomy, Biology, Columbus, CSA, Earth, environment, ESA, European, Expedition, Experiments, Exploration, Facility, freedom, imax, International, ISS, Japanese, JAXA, Kibō, Laboratory, Low, mars, Meteorology, Microgravity, Mir, Modules, moon, nasa, Orbit, physics, proton, research, RKA, Rockets, Russian, Satellite, Solar, Soviet, Soyuz, space, Spacecraft, Station, Systems, Zarya

The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing until at least 2015. The station can be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, and, as of 2009[update], is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, with a mass larger than that of any previous space station. The ISS serves as a long-term research laboratory in space, with experiments in fields including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology being carried out daily in the station's microgravity environment. The station also provides a safe testing location for efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The ISS and its experiments are operated by long-duration Expedition crews, with the station being continuously staffed since the first resident crew, Expedition 1, arrived on 2 November 2000. This has provided an uninterrupted human presence in space for the last 9 years and 52 days. As of 1 December 2009 (2009 -12-01)[update], the crew of Expedition 22 is aboard.

The ISS represents a synthesis of several space station projects including the American Freedom, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the European Columbus and the Japanese Kibō. Budget issues led to the separate projects being merged into a single multi-national space station. The ISS project began in 1994 with the Shuttle-Mir programme, and the first module of the station, Zarya, was launched in 1998 by Russia. Assembly has been ongoing, with a complex of pressurised modules, external trusses and other components being launched by American Space Shuttles, Russian Proton rockets and Russian Soyuz rockets. As of November 2009[update], the station consists of eleven pressurised modules and an extensive Integrated Truss Structure (ITS). Power is provided by sixteen large solar arrays mounted on the external truss, in addition to four smaller arrays on Russian modules. The station is maintained at an orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7 orbits per day.

The ISS is operated as a joint project between the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Ownership and utilisation of the space station is set out via several intergovernmental treaties and agreements, with the Russian Federation retaining full ownership of its own modules, and the rest of the station being allocated between the other international partners. The cost of the station project has been estimated by ESA as €100 billion over a course of 30 years, although cost estimates vary between 35 billion dollars and 160 billion dollars, making the ISS the most expensive object ever constructed. This large cost has meant that the ISS programme has been the target of various criticisms over its financing, research capabilities and technical design.

The various sections of the station are controlled by several mission control centres on the ground, including MCC-H, TsUP, Col-CC, ATV-CC, JEM-CC, HTV-CC and MSS-CC. The station is serviced by a wide variety of manned and unmanned spacecraft, including the Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Automated Transfer Vehicle, and H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.

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Space Station 3 of 6 is a post from: 1 Billion Transfers

Technorati Tags: Aeronautics, American, Arrays, Artificial, Astronomy, Biology, Columbus, CSA, Earth, environment, ESA, European, Expedition, Experiments, Exploration, Facility, freedom, imax, International, ISS, Japanese, JAXA, Kibō, Laboratory, Low, mars, Meteorology, Microgravity, Mir, Modules, moon, nasa, Orbit, physics, proton, research, RKA, Rockets, Russian, Satellite, Solar, Soviet, Soyuz, space, Spacecraft, Station, Systems, Zarya