The Journey of ISS | Components of ISS | Assembly of ISS | Information about International Space Station

An average satellite weighs between 500 kg to 15 tons and sizes in between 1 metre to 15 metres in length, width and height. Satellites are carried into Earth’s orbit by the help of rockets. ISS has a length of 109 metres, width of 75 metres and height of 20 metres. We can watch the ISS with our naked eye from Earth, when it passes through our night sky. It weighs around 420 tons, which is the highest weighted space craft ever built by humans. As all know, such a type of space crafts are hard to carry into Earth’s orbit by rockets, due to their large weight and size.

Why we need ISS?

In future, humans may colonize other worlds too. For this, humans need to survive in space for a long time. If we survive, we have questions like how health will be affected in space, how medicines will help us in space and more. To answers these questions, humans have to experience a long time journey in space. So, in start of this century scientists got an idea to build a space station in Earth's lower orbit.

In 1984, NASA announced a project called “Space station freedom”. Later, NASA is ready with designs for space station to launch, but it postponed for years due to technical challenges and US government.

Again in 1993, NASA in conjunction with other space agencies started to design space station. Due to the membership of other countries, the name space station freedom changed to “International space station”, in which the main members are NASA, ROSCOSMOS followed by JAXA, CSA and ESA.

ISS_Into_the_dark_space
Image credit: NASA/Crew of STS-132

Space agencies took several years to construct ISS in space, due to its large size and design. Total assembly of ISS is done in space, by assembling of different components carried by rockets. Space agencies took 13 years to construct ISS in space (from 1998 to 2011). But even now some small parts are being assembled to ISS. Before going through the assembly process, we have to know about docking.

Docking is the connection between two space vehicles. Since 1998, different components are connecting to ISS, so the connecting components must have docking ports. Every space craft must go through docking process to connect with ISS.

Components of ISS:

ISS consists of,

Solar arrays - Used to store solar energy.

Radiator panels - Releases internal heat from ISS.

Integrated truss structure - It is the backbone for ISS. Integrated truss structure connects all components and parts of ISS.

Pressure modules - It is the home for Astronauts and Cosmonauts in ISS. They can survive here without space suits and major experiments are done here.

ISS consists of two pressure modules,

One belongs to Russia called ‘Russian Orbital Segment’ and other belongs to USA called ‘US Orbital segment’. US orbital segment consists of some components of other countries like Canada, Japan and even some other European countries. These modules helps the ISS to run.

All these modules and components are mainly launched by 3 rockets, called

1. Space shuttle belongs to USA.

2. Proton and

3. Soyuz belongs to Russia.

All the connections in ISS are operated by ground based communications.

Components_of_ISS_Into_the_dark_space

Assembly of ISS:

Assembly of ISS has taken several years to construct. Still assembling of some components are going on and will be happening in future also. Due to many components in it, I will discuss them in a table for understanding easily.

Component/Module	Country/Space agency	Date	Connection	Use/Properties
Zarya	Russia	20 Nov, 1998	-	Consists of solar arrays and propulsion systems. 3 docking ports at front and 1 at back
Node-1	US	Dec, 1998	-	Consists of 6 docking ports. It helps ISS to connect more components
Zvezda	Russia	Jul, 2000	-	Consists of 3 docking ports at front and 1 at back. It is center for Russian Orbital Segment
Z1 Truss	US	Oct, 2000	-	It is a part in Integrated Truss Structure
P6 Truss	US	Nov, 2000	Docked above Z1 Truss	Consists of solar arrays and radiator panels
Desting module	US	Feb, 2001	-	It is US laboratory and research center
ESP-1	-	Mar, 2001	-	-
Canadarm2	Canada	Apr, 2001	-	Astronauts and Cosmonauts will operate this arm from inside
Quest air lock	US	Jul, 2001	-	From this Astronauts can enter into space safely by spacesuits (Spacewalk). It helps to repair other components
Pirs	Russia	Sep, 2001	-	It is useful for spacewalk and has 1 docking port
S0 Truss	US	Apr, 2002	Connected to Destiny module	-
MBS	Canada	Jun, 2002	-	-
S1 and P1 Truss	US	Oct and Nov, 2000	Connected to S0 Truss at ends	Consists of radiator panels
ESP-2	-	Jul, 2005	-	-
P3 and P4 Truss	US	Sep, 2006	-	Consists of solar arrays and radiator panels
P5 Truss	US	Dec, 2006	-	Balacing for remaining Truss
S3 and S4 Truss	US	Jun, 2007	Connected to S1 Truss	-
S5 Truss and ESP-3	US	Aug, 2007	-	Balancing for remaining Truss
Harmony node 2	US	Oct, 2007	Connected to Destiny module	Consists of 6 docking ports
Columbus module	ESA	Feb, 2008	Connected to Destiny module	It is Europe laboratory
Japanese Logistics module	Japan	Mar, 2008	-	-
Dextre	Canada	Mar, 2008	Connected to canadarm2	-
Kibo	Japan	May, 2008	Connected to Destiny module	It is Japan laboratory and have separate robotic arm
S6 Truss	US	Mar, 2009	Connected to S5 Truss	-
Japanese Exposed Facility	Japan	Jul, 2009	Connected to Japan module	-
Poisk	Russia	Nov, 2009	-	-
ELC-1	US	Nov, 2009	-	It stores hardware and helps ISS to work properly
ELC-2	US	Nov, 2009	Connected at top of the Truss	-
Node 3	US	Feb, 2010	Connected to Node 1	Consists of a room called Cupola, has windows
Rassvet	Russia	May, 2010	-	Helps to store materials and has 1 docking port
Leonardo module	US	Feb, 2011	Connected to node 3	It helps to store materials and wastage
ELC-3 and ELC-4	US	May and Feb, 2011	-	It is used for science experiments
Beam module	US	Apr, 2016	-	Consists of upgraded technology
IDA-2	US	Jul, 2016	-	-
IDA-3	US	Jul, 2019	-	-

Since 1998, several modules and components are connected to ISS. It is the largest human made object ever built in space. Until now, more than 120 rockets are launched to ISS and costed nearly 150 billion US dollars for construction and expeditions.

ISS is in the low Earth orbit, above 400 kms from the Earth's surface, orbiting at a velocity of 27,700 kms/hr. It completes one revolution around Earth in 90 minutes and completes 16 revolutions every day. Since 2000, for every 6 months a group of Astronauts and Cosmonauts are visiting ISS. In which the research and experiments in space are done.

ISS is a big step taken by humans to explore and colonize other worlds.

Share your ideas and thoughts in comment section below.

For more information click here and for updates please follow my site,

Thank you.