Station Assembly Elements

The roll-out siolar arrays augment the International Space Station’s eight main solar arrays. They produce more than 20 kilowatts of electricity and enable a 30% increase in power production over the station’s current arrays.

The roll-out siolar arrays augment the International Space Station’s eight main solar arrays. They produce more than 20 kilowatts of electricity and enable a 30% increase in power production over the station’s current arrays.

Prichal, named for the Russian word for pier, has five available docking ports to accommodate Russian spacecraft and provide fuel transfer capability to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. 

Nauka, the Russian word for “science,” is a the 43-foot long, 23-ton module that serves as a new science facility on the Roscosmos segment of the International Space Station.

The roll-out siolar arrays augment the International Space Station’s eight main solar arrays. They produce more than 20 kilowatts of electricity and enable a 30% increase in power production over the station’s current arrays.

Bishop significantly increases the capacity for public and private research on the outside of the orbiting lab. The new science airlock also enables the deployment of larger satellites and the transfer of spacewalking tools and hardware inside and outside the station.

BEAM is an experimental habitat that is lower in mass and volume than metal habitats and can increase the efficiency of cargo shipments, possibly reducing the number of launches needed and overall mission costs.

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) has collected and analyzed billions of cosmic ray events, and identified 9 million of these as electrons or positrons (antimatter).

The EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Logistics Carrier (ELC) is a platform designed to support external payloads mounted to the International Space Station’s starboard and port trusses.

The Italian-built Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) provides space for cargo storage and scientific usage.

The EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Logistics Carrier (ELC) is a platform designed to support external payloads mounted to the International Space Station’s starboard and port trusses.

Rassvet, Russian for “dawn”, is used primarily for cargo storage and payload operations while providing a docking port on the Roscosmos segment of the orbital outpost.

The cupola, the International Space Station’s “window to the world,” offers views from seven different windows for Earth observations and monitoring of mission activities including robotics, spacecraft arrivals and departures, and spacewalks.

The Tranquility module provides station crews life support systems, a bathroom, and exercise facilities, as well as access to the cupola, the Bishop airlock, BEAM, and the Permanent Multipurpose Module.

The EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Logistics Carrier (ELC) is a platform designed to support external payloads mounted to the International Space Station’s starboard and port trusses.

The EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Logistics Carrier (ELC) is a platform designed to support external payloads mounted to the International Space Station’s starboard and port trusses.

Poisk provides a port for Soyuz crew ships and Progress cargo vehicles and contains an airlock to prepare for and stage spacewalks. Poisk also offers extra space for scientific experiments and power supplies.

The Japanese Exposed Facility is located outside Kibo where experiments are placed in the vacuum of space for a variety of investigations including Earth observations, technology demonstrations, and materials physics.

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

Kibo, Japanese for “hope,” is a space research facility enabling astronauts to investigate a variety of space phenomena. Experiments range from biology, physics, technology. and more and take place within Kibo’s numerous research racks. Kibo also provides an airlock allowing experiments to be exposed to the vacuum of space.

The Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, also known as Dextre, performs robotic maintenance like changing batteries and replacing cameras outside the International Space Station. The fine-tuned robotic hand’s precise handling capabilities reduces the need for time-consuming spacewalks providing astronauts more time to conduct science.

The Logistics Module serves as an on-orbit storage area that houses experiments, maintenance tools and supplies. It is attached to the top of the main pressurized section of Kibo.

ESA’s (European Space Agency) Columbus laboratory module allows station crew members to conduct a wide variety of research in a weightless environment. Columbus also accommodates external payloads in space science, Earth observation, and technology.

The Harmony module acts provides living and working space for astronauts, acts as a passageway to international lab modules, and offers docking ports for commercial crew and cargo vehicles.

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

External Stowage Platforms (ESP) are external pallets that can hold spare parts on the International Space Station. The unpressurized ESPs require electricity to power the heaters of some of the stored equipment.

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

External Stowage Platforms (ESP) are external pallets that can hold spare parts on the International Space Station. The unpressurized ESPs require electricity to power the heaters of some of the stored equipment.

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

The Mobile Base System provides a movable work platform for the Canadarm2 and Dextre robotic components.

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

The Pirs docking compartment was a Roscosmos module on the International Space Station. It provided an airlock for spacewalks and served as a docking port for Soyuz crew and Progress cargo vehicles.

The Quest Airlock consists of two compartments, or locks, attached end-to-end by a connecting bulkhead and hatch. The equipment lock provides the systems for spacesuit maintenance and refurbishment. The crew lock provides a safe exit and entry for astronauts performing spacewalks.

The Canadarm2 is a 57.7-foot-long robotic arm that has helped assemble the International Space Station. It also maneuvers spacewalkers to their worksites and captures and installs cargo vehicles to the orbital outpost.

External Stowage Platforms (ESP) are external pallets that can hold spare parts on the International Space Station. The unpressurized ESPs require electricity to power the heaters of some of the stored equipment.

The U.S. Destiny laboratory module is the primary research laboratory for U.S. payloads, supporting a wide range of experiments and studies contributing to health, safety, and quality of life for people all over the world.

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

The Integrated Truss Structure is made up of 11 segments, plus a separate component called Zenith-1 (Z1), that are attachment points for the solar arrays, thermal control radiators, and external payloads on the International Space Station. 

The Zvezda Service Module provides living quarters, life support systems, electrical power distribution, data processing systems, flight control systems and propulsion systems for the International Space Station. It also provides ports for Soyuz crew and cargo vehicles, as well as different Roscosmos modules.

The Unity module was the second component of the International Space Station launched to space. It provides living and working space for crew members, contains over 50,000 mechanical items, 216 lines to carry fluids and gases, and 121 internal and external electrical cables using six miles of wire.

The Zarya Module was the first component launched for the International Space Station. The U.S.-funded and Russian-built Zarya, which means “Sunrise,” is a U.S. component of the station, although it was built and launched by Russia.