International Space Station - Pat and Brian in Spain

The International Space Station is the largest scientific cooperative program in history. 16 nations are participating. United States (NASA), Canada (CSA), Japan (NASDA), Russia (RKA) Brazil (INPE) and the European Space Agency, (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.)

November 20, 1998 -- The Zarya Control Module was launched atop a Russian Proton rocket. Zarya provides battery power and fuel storage. The first segment was launched from U.S. in December 1998.The crew captured Zarya and mated it with the Unity Node. Assembling the ISS had begun! In Oct. 31, 2000 , the first crew to live and work aboard the International Space Station arrived in a Soyuz spacecraft. From then on, the Assembly Missions continued at a steady rate.

crew member exercising to stop muscle deterioration

it is in a low orbit about 200 miles above the Earth (with 6 mile re-boosts)
it travels at 17,500 miles per hour
it orbits the Earth every 90 minutes
it has 3 crew members (increasing to 6 in the future)
it's crew have to do 2 hours exercise per day

the Columbus lab which has been bolted to the ISS

One of the latest additions is the Columbus Laboratory built by the European Space Agency . This was docked on 9th February 2008 with crew to bolt it to the ISS. Astronauts aboard the Space Station will spend more time working on experiments than anything else. Many projects require teamwork, so astronauts frequently work in pairs. It is hoped that it will allow for advancements in medicine, technology and science. A list of all the modules, past and future can be found here

Julves Verne, the first Automated Transport Vehicle supplied by the ESA

Currently,(March 2008) the European Automated Transfer Vehicle is a new generation of unpiloted cargo carriers designed to supply the International Space Station with liquid and dry cargo as well as gases. It has a substantially greater cargo capacity than the Russian Progress cargo carrier that has proven itself a reliable workhorse. This first one, named Jules Verne, is in orbit waiting to dock in a few days. Its engines will re-boost the ISS. Re-boosting is necessary as the station gradually looses height. This gradual decrease is caused by atmospheric drag. The ATV docks automatically with the station, though station crew members can take charge of the process if difficulties arise.

When it is complete...

its solar arrays will span 74 meters which is longer than that of a Boeing 777.
it will measure 108.5 metres, equivilant to a football field. It will have 915 cubic metres,
have 62 computers to control it's systems

There are a variety of vehicles (Shuttles, Progress, Soyuz )that have made periodic visits to the ISS with fuel, air, water, other supplies, equipment and crew members. There have currently been 16 missions to the ISS. The 17th is due to leave 8 April 2008. Expedition 1...Commander William Shepherd and Flight Engineers Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev were the first residents of the International Space Station. Their mission lasted from October 2000 to March 2001. The complete list of missions and crew can be seen here.

Space walk at the international Space Station.

The greatest benefit to mankind from the space station is the international cooperation with over 16 different countries contributing. Countries that were at one time, enemies of each other, have now come together to do something that will benefit mankind. Down the road the space station will bring great leaps in science, in medical fields, in the materials manufacturing fields, and it will also teach us a lot about long duration human space flight so that we can expand our civilization beyond Earth.

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