International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is a large spacecraft in orbit around the Earth. It serves as a home to crews of astronauts and cosmonauts. It is the largest space station ever built, the largest structure ever assembled in space and one of the most complex international scientific projects in history. 15 countries are involved in building and operating various parts of the station. The United States, through NASA leads the ISS project. Working with Russia, Canada, Japan, Brazil, and 11 member nations of ESA (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.)The station orbits Earth at an average altitude of approximately 250 miles. It travels at 17,500 mph. This means it orbits Earth every 90 minutes. The station is longer than an American football field (including end zones). It has a pressurized living and working space approximately equivalent to the volume of a 747 jumbo-jet or a conventional five-bedroom house. It can accommodate up to thirteen astronauts. Within the station, it has a gymnasium, two bathrooms, and a bay window. There are solar panels on each side, spanning more than half an acre. They supply 84 kilowatts of electrical power.The space station's first piece was launched in November 1998. It was a Russian rocket that launched the Russian Zarya control module. Two weeks later, the space shuttle Endeavour met Zarya in orbit. The space shuttle was carrying the U.S. Unity node. The crew attached the Unity node to Zarya. More pieces were added over the next two years before the station was ready for people to live there. The first crew arrived on November 2, 2000. More pieces have been added over time with construction completed in 2011.

Image from NASA

If you had the chance, would you go to the International Space Station to stay for a couple of months?

How do you think the body reacts to living in space?

In addition to the laboratories where the astronauts conduct science research, the space station has many other parts. The first Russian modules included basic systems needed for the space station to function. They also provided living

areas for crew members. Modules called "nodes" connect parts of the station to each other. Stretching out to the sides of the space station are the Photovoltaic solar arrays. They collect energy from the sun to provide electrical power. A long truss connects the arrays to the station. On the truss are radiators that control the space station's temperature (65-85 degree Ferenheit). Mounted on the outside of the station are robotic arms. They are used to help move astronauts around when they go on spacewalks outside. They have also been used in science experiments and in the past, used for building the space station.The habitation module is where the astronauts live. Astronauts from participating countries use this area in common. The experiment Module is where the astronauts conduct experiments or research. The working area contains various devices for research. The remote manipulator system is used to connect large parts, such as modules to the station. It moves along the truss structure located in the center of the station.Astronauts can go on spacewalks through airlocks that open to the outside. Docking ports allow other spacecrafts to connect to the space station. New crews and visitors arrive through the ports. Robotic spacecrafts use the docking ports to deliver supplies to the crew.

Parts of the Space Station.

Image from NASA

The main purpose of the International Space Station is to provide an international laboratory for experiments within the space environment. Which, despite all our technological advances, is nearly impossible to replicate here on Earth. NASA lists the two main categories of experiments:1. Experiments that utilize the space environment to remove variables (such as gravity) to allow the investigators to focus on variables that are masked or impeded by the variable that will be removed.2. Experiments that specifically want to study the effect of a variable introduced by the space environment (such as weightlessness or cosmic radiation). Thousands of science experiments have already been performed on the space station and many hundreds more are being devised and planned for future missions. Some of the science work performed on the ISS involves monitoring the Earth

from space for signs of pollution and changing weather patterns. Other work uses scientific instruments mounted on the outside of the space station. Many experiments look at how living cells, whole plants and tiny living things, such as bacteria, develop in microgravity.Many experiments are carried out on materials in space, learning how they burn or can be formed without gravity found on Earth. Studying liquids and burning flames

in space is difficult and dangerous unless the experiment takes place inside a sealed mini lab called a glovebox. While astronauts carry out many experiments, yet more experiments are carried out on them! ISS crews' eyes, brain, reactions and muscle strength are among many aspects of their health that are checked and experimented with. Scientists are keen to learn more about how space affects people in advance of longer space missions possibly to the moon or even Mars!

Purpose of the ISS

Image from NASA

Image from NASA

Image from NASA

What experiment would you like to do in the space station?Why do you think we want to know so much about the interaction

of space on humans?

Experiments in SpaceSpace MiceWe must learn how to deal with the effects of long-term exposure to potent space radiation for humans to be able to explore deep space or live on other planets. Long-term exposure of space radiation can cause cancer and gene mutations, affecting subsequent generations. The use of lab mice are important tools for studying radiation effects, but currently mice can't go to the station. So instead, frozen mouse embryos will be sent for a ride in space and then return to Earth to be implanted into surrogate mothers. Scientists will

use these space mice to study longevity, cancer development and gene mutations. Talking ZucchiniIn 2012, Astronaut Don Pettit wrote blog posts on behalf of a zucchini plant that was grown from a seed on the space station. There have been many investigations on growing greenery in space. Providing oxygen and fresh produce is the ultimate goal for crews on long-term space missions. Gravity plays an important role in normal plant growth and development. With nearly no gravity in space, they are also affected by radiation, changes in light and other space environmental factors. The blog "by the zucchini" was a way to engage students with space-based research and encourage the next generation of space station scientists. Putting out the FireFire behaves differently in space. To distinguish flames in space we must understand the interactions of fuel vaporization, radiative heat loss and chemical kinetics. An experiment was performed to test various fire suppressants in

microgravity. The researchers found that flames in space burn with a lower temperature, at a slower rate and with less oxygen than in normal gravity. The conclusion was higher concentrations of materials must be used to put them out.

Image from NASA

ISS RobotIn the International Space Station there is a mounted robot's torso used to manipulate hardware and work in high risk environments to give crew members a break. Robonaut is operated via remote control and can be directed by ground and operators through cabin video and telemetry. The half-a-mechanical astronaut also can be controlled by a crew member

wearing a vest, specialized gloves, and a 3D visor. The Robonaut mimics the wearer's movements (similar to video games). In the future, the torso will be given legs and used to perform tasks both inside and outside the ISS.Cramped QuartersFamous explorers kept journals that give us insight into what it took to survive extreme missions. Spending months confined in cramped quarters orbiting the Earth is one of today's extreme missions. 10 astronauts were asked to keep a journal. Crew members wrote on a laptop at least three times a week. Researchers identified 24 major categories of entries with behavioral implications. Ten of those categories of entries accounted for 88% of the test: work, outside communications, adjustments, group interactions, recreation/leisure, equipment, events, organization/management, sleep and food. Both men and women participated. Studying small groups living and working in isolation and confinement is similar to studying social issues with a microscope.

Bone DensityThe astronauts experimented with funky footwear designed to measure exercise load. NASA developed the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, which supplies resistance through the power of vacuum cylinders, to give crew members the ability to do weight-bearing exercises in space. This is critical to helping reduce the loss of bone density and skeletal muscle strength that astronauts experience during spaceflight. The data will help determine the best exercise regimens for safe and effective bone and muscle strength maintenance during spaceflight.

How much of a risk do you think there is studying fire on the ISS?What would be a fun plant to grow in the ISS?

Image from NASA

Image from NASA

Space Junk CollisionSpace debris in orbit poses a serious threat. Even a fleck of paint can travel nearly 17,900 mph and cause damage if it slams into a satellite or the International Space Station. On October 27, 2014, the station had to do an emergency maneuver to dodge a hand-sized chunk of the Russian Cosmos-2251 satellite. The piece was one of the remnants from a 2009 collision between then-deactivated Russian Cosmos-2251 and a U.S. Iridium satellite. Even with the monitoring and tracking of space debris in order to prevent collisions, making accurate predictions are tough.Fortunately, at the time it was headed to the station, an unmanned transfer vehicle, the "Georges Lemaitre" Automated transfer vehicle - which ferries supplies to the station from Earth - was docked to the ISS. It fired its thrusters for four minutes to raise the 463 ton space station by 0.62 miles and out of the space junk's path. The company Technical Director of Analytical Graphics Inc. monitors potential collisions every day, but uncertainty riddles these calculations. The 2009 collision wasn't even in the top-10 collisions predicted for that day!Most collisions are spotted at least days before impact, but occasionally ground networks aren't able to see a piece until 24 hours or less before the potential impact. This close call was spotted just six hours before it would pass within 2.5 miles of the ISS's position. This wasn't the first time the station had to deal with the remains of the 2009 collision, or other space debris, but it was remarkable because it was executed within a fairly short time window. The space station has orbital debris shields put in place in 2017 to protect from debris less than 1.5 centimeters in size. Larger debris pieces are tracked by ground control. The Space Debris Sensor (SDS) will monitor the small debris environment around the space station for 2-3 years, recording instances of debris between the sizes of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. The sensor provides nearly real-time impact detection and recording capabilities.The data gathered during the SDS investigation will help researchers map the entire orbital debris population and plan future sensors beyond the space station and low-Earth orbit, where the risk of damage from orbital debris is even higher to spacecraft.

There is an estimated more than 100 million pieces of orbital debris measuring smaller than one centimeter currently in Earth's orbit. They can

be too small to track, buy many are large enough to cause damage to operational spacecrafts.

Hole in the Space StationOn August 2018, the International Space Station realized that the station was slowly but steadily losing air pressure. A search of the station revealed the source - a tiny 2 millimeter hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, the Russian Roscosmos shuttle used to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS. The spacecraft docked onto the Rassvet module and was being used as a living quarters and potential life raft until part of it returns to Earth, carrying astronauts whose mission had concluded. The astronauts plugged the hole with epoxy and tape, and embarked on an investigation, even conducting an 8-hour spacewalk to inspect the outside of the spacecraft to determine if the hole had been punched by a micrometeoroid. If tiny rocks could punch holes in the ISS, that would be valuable information. If the hole was left unattended, it would have leaked-out the oxygen in 18 days.It was later determined that the hole had been created by a drill, although whether accidentally or on purpose, on the ground or in space, has yet to be revealed. The landing module of the spacecraft returned safely to Earth in December 2018, while the detached living quarters, complete with the hole, burned up on reentry. What caused the hole is yet to be officially revealed. Roscosmos continued to conduct its investigation, and reported it was a mistake made during manufacturing. September 2019, The Russian space agency Roscomos stated that they now know what caused the leak, but will keep it secret from NASA, its main partner at the ISS.

Why do you think the Russian Space agency wants to keep the investigation results a secret?

Do you think NASA can now trust Roscosmos with the lives of its astronauts?

Image from NASA

Engaging Questions

1. What do you think it is like living in space? The astronauts daily hygiene, bathroom, eating, exercise, leisure time?2. Do you think they will ever build a space station with artificial gravity?3. Why do you think the research on the International Space Station is important?4. Could you live in such small quarters with 12 other astronauts? 5. Do you think common people should be allowed to pay to go to the space station?6. Do you think space agencies should start cleaning up the space junk?

Curious Dragonfly LLCwww.curiousdragonfly.comTrina Terrell303.903.5319