THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

”This drawing may be used for educational purposes only. The actual International Space

Station may differ significantly from this rendering.” 

TITLE International Space Station

Revision G Assembly Sequence 

Assembly Complete Isometric View 

SIZE 

D* 

DATE 

7/31/2002 

DRAWING NUMBER 

02-DR0066 SCALE 

1/200 

REVISION 

Original 

AUTHOR 

NASA 

* Modified for requestor. Not per ANSI standards. 
The International Space Station


The International Space Station Educational Wallsheet 

The International Space Station (ISS) is an engineering marvel! Its


components have been built by thousands of different workers from


around the world! The ISS program includes participation from 16 nations:


the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands,


Denmark, United Kingdom, Norway, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden,


Switzerland, and Brazil. One by one, these components are rocketed


into space, where orbiting construction workers (astronauts) assemble


them over 200 miles above Earth. Consider the challenge of doing this


while everything is orbiting Earth once every 90 minutes, traveling at


17,500 miles per hour!


How can NASA and its partners ensure that every item can be fully


integrated when it reaches orbit? If you guessed that it’s the same way architects and engineers design and build


homes, office buildings, and laboratories here on Earth, you are right. Every project begins with the design process.


Detailed engineering drawings for each and every component are required.


The images and activities featured on this wallsheet will engage students in interpreting and analyzing three-dimensional


engineering drawings of the International Space Station.


International Space Station 

Take a large measure of engineering and technology, add giant dashes of science and mathematics, and throw in years 

of effort from 16 nations, and you have the largest space structure ever constructed—the International Space Station 

(ISS). When completed, the space station will be nearly as large as two football fields side by side and have a mass 

of almost 500,000 kilograms. Its interior volume will be equivalent to the inside space of a 747 commercial jet aircraft. 

From an altitude of 354 kilometers, astronauts from many nations are able to conduct fundamental scientific research, 

process biological materials, carry out medical investigations, experiment with chemical reactions, and study living 

things without the distorting effects of gravity. Although gravity and the station’s velocity keep the station in orbit, the 

combination of forces at work produce a freefall condition in which gravity’s effects on the station and the objects inside 

are reduced. 

In addition to research on materials and living things, space station crews are able to study Earth’s environment and 

resources from a high vantage point. The station will pass over 80 percent of Earth’s surface, flying over the same area 

every three days as it orbits the rotating planet below. Additionally, research will characterize the environment of space 

and the long-term effects of the space environment on humans and materials in future space flights to the distant 

reaches of our solar system. Crews work on the space station for three to six months at a time, and the ways in which 

their bodies react to microgravity over these long periods are the subject of intense study, with great relevance to future 

space exploration efforts. Trips to Mars, for example, could take six months one way. Information gained on the ISS 

will be invaluable in planning for the well-being of Mars crews. 

Making It Happen 

The International Space Station will become a world-class scientific laboratory, providing a unique research environment 

in Earth orbit for 10 or more years. Making it all happen is a complex design, fabrication, and assembly process. The 

space station includes more than 100 major elements such as cylindrical habitation and research modules, solar panels, 

connecting truss beams, and robots. These elements can be classed into several systems, including the following: 

• Structure 

• Environmental Management 

• Energy 

• Communications and Data Handling 

• Attitude (direction) Control and Propulsion 

• Transportation and Assembly (including robotics) 

The system elements are being constructed on Earth in packages determined by the capacities of the launch vehicles 

that will deliver them to orbit. The Space Shuttle, for example, has a cargo bay that is 18.2 meters long and 4.6 meters 

in diameter. ISS elements must either be small enough to fit the bay, collapsible for transport, or able to be divided 

into components that will be rejoined in orbit. 

Transporting the many pieces of the ISS to orbit is only one of many challenges in making the ISS happen. The elements 

must be easily joined together in orbit with simple connections for electric power and fluid transfer lines. Docking ports 

must be failsafe so that when habitation and laboratory modules are connected the interior working volume is permanently 

sealed. In the vacuum of space, even small leaks can drain a spacecraft of its vital atmosphere. The International Space 

Station is too large and irregular in shape to permit launching if it were assembled on Earth. Most elements have been 

joined together for the first time in space, and they had to fit together precisely and function as a unit, leaving no room 

for error. 

The space station must have electrical power for all its laboratories, environmental systems, and communications and 

data systems. It requires insulation from temperature extremes that can range from 100 degrees Celsius in the Sun 

to -100 degrees Celsius in the shade. Shielding against impacts from meteorites and space debris has also been 

essential. These and many more considerations require precise engineering and fabrication. 

A Note on the Classroom Activities 

The three activities that follow can each be done as standalone activities or integrated sequentially or concurrently. They 

will research station systems and components, develop construction standards, and assemble the model. In the first 

activity (Center of Mass), the students learn about the necessity of controlling the location of the center of mass of 

the station. In the second activity (Go for Launch), students determine the launch manifest or order in which the station 

elements are launched. In the third activity (ISS Model), students construct a model of the International Space Station. 

Each activity depends upon understanding the overall ISS design and the nature and purpose of the station systems. 

For more information on the International Space Station, visit the following Web sites: 

ISS Home Page 

http:///spaceflight.nasa.gov/station 

ISS Image Gallery 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station 

ISS Model Images 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/iss-models/ndxpagel.html 

ISS Reference Library 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/index.html 

ISS Assembly—Component View, Scale Model Drawing Package, etc. 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/index.html 

Acknowledgements 

The International Space Station educational wallsheet was developed in collaboration with the NASA Office of Education, 

the International Technology Education Association, Lockheed Martin and Wheeling Jesuit University/NASA Classroom 

of the FutureTM. This publication is in the public domain and is not protected by copyright. Permission is not required 

for duplication. 
NASA Resources for Educators


NASA’s Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) was established for the national and international distribution


of NASA-produced educational materials in multimedia format. Educators can obtain a catalogue and an order form by one of the


following methods:


CORE


Lorain County Joint Vocational School FAX: (440) 775-1460


15181 Route 58 South E-mail: nasaco@leeca.org


Oberlin, OH 44074-9799 Home Page: http://core.nasa.gov


Phone: (440) 775-1400


Educator Resource Center Network (ERCN) 

To make additional information available to the education community, NASA has created the NASA Educator Resource Center (ERC) 

network. Educators may preview, copy, or receive NASA materials at these sites. Phone calls are welcome if you are unable to visit the 

ERC that serves your geographic area. A list of the Centers and the regions they serve includes the following: 

AK, Northern CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY 

NASA Educator Resource Center 

NASA Ames Research Center 

Mail Stop 253-2


Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000


Phone: (650) 604-3574


http://amesnews.arc.nasa.gov/erc/erchome.html


AZ and Southern CA


NASA Educator Resource Center


NASA Dryden Flight Research Center 

P.O. Box 273 M/S 4839


Edwards, CA 93523-0273


Phone: (661) 276-5009


http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Education/ERC/


IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI


NASA Educator Resource Center


NASA Glenn Research Center 

Mail Stop 8-1


21000 Brookpark Road


Cleveland, OH 44135


Phone: (216) 433-2017


http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/OEP/ERCN.htm


CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT 

NASA Educator Resource Laboratory 

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 

Mail Code 130.3


Greenbelt, MD 20771-0001


Phone: (301) 286-8570


http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/vc/erc.htm


CA


NASA Educator Resource Center for


NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Village at Indian Hill


1460 East Holt Avenue, Suite 20


Pomona, CA 91767


Phone: (909) 397-4420


http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/resources/


CO, KS, NE, NM, ND, OK, SD, TX


Space Center Houston


NASA Educator Resource Center for


NASA Johnson Space Center 

1601 NASA Road One


Houston, TX 77058


Phone: (281) 244-2129


http://www.spacecenter.org/educator_resource.html


FL, GA, PR, VI


NASA Kennedy Space Center


NASA Kennedy Space Center 

Mail Code ERC


Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899


Phone: (321) 867-4090


http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/educate/edu.htm


KY, NC, SC, VA, WV


Virginia Air & Space Center


Educator Resource Center for


NASA Langley Research Center 

600 Settlers Landing Road


Hampton, VA 23669-4033


Phone: (757) 727-0900, x 757


http://www.vasc.org/erc/


AL, AR, IA, LA, MO, TN


U.S. Space and Rocket Center


NASA Educator Resource Center for


NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

One Tranquility Base


Huntsville, AL 35807


Phone: (256) 544-5812


http://erc.msfc.nasa.gov


MS


NASA Educator Resource Center


NASA Stennis Space Center


Mail Stop 1200—ERC


Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000


Phone: (228) 688-3338


http://education.ssc.nasa.gov/erc/erc.htm


VA and MD’s Eastern Shores


NASA Educator Resource Center for


GSFC/Wallops Flight Facility 

Visitor Center Building J-17


Wallops Island, VA 23337


Phone: (757) 824-2298


http://www.wff.nasa.gov/~WVC/ERC.htm


Regional Educator Resource Centers offer more educators access to NASA educational materials. NASA has formed partnerships


with universities, museums, and other educational institutions to serve as regional ERCs in many States. A complete list of regional


ERCs is available through CORE, or electronically via NASA Spacelink at http://spacelink.nasa.gov/ercn


NASA’s Education Home Page serves as the education portal for information regarding educational programs and services offered


by NASA for the American education community. This high-level directory of information provides specific details and points of contact


for all of NASA’s educational efforts, Field Center offices, and points of presence within each State. Visit this resource at


http://education.nasa.gov


NASA Spacelink is one of NASA’s electronic resources specifically developed for the educational community. Spacelink serves as


an electronic library to NASA’s educational and scientific resources, with hundreds of subject areas arranged in a manner familiar to


educators. Using Spacelink Search, educators and students can easily find information among NASA’s thousands of Internet resources.


Special events, missions, and intriguing NASA Web sites are featured in Spacelink’s “Hot Topics” and “Cool Picks” areas. Spacelink


may be accessed at http://spacelink.nasa.gov


NASA Spacelink is the official home to electronic versions of NASA’s educational products. A complete listing these products can


be found at http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products


NASA Television (NTV) features Space Station and Shuttle mission coverage, live special events, interactive educational live shows,


electronic field trips, aviation and space news, and historical NASA footage. Programming has a three-hour block—Video (News) File,


NASA Gallery, and Education File—beginning at noon Eastern and repeated four more times throughout the day. Live feeds preempt


regularly scheduled programming.


Check the Internet for program listings at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/


For more information on NTV, contact:


NASA TV


NASA Headquarters—Code P-2


Washington, DC 20546-0001


Phone: (202) 358-3572


NTV Weekday Programming Schedules (Eastern Times)


Video File NASA Gallery Education File 

12–1 p.m. 1–2 p.m. 2–3 p.m. 

3–4 p.m. 4–5 p.m. 5–6 p.m. 

6–7 p.m. 7–8 p.m. 8–9 p.m. 

9–10 p.m. 10–11 p.m. 11–12 p.m. 

12–1 a.m. 1–2 a.m. 2–3 a.m. 

How to Access Information on NASA’s Education Program, Materials, and Services 

(EP-2002-07-345-HQ) This brochure serves as a guide to accessing a variety of NASA materials and services for educators. Copies 

are available through the ERC network or electronically via NASA Spacelink. 

http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/NASA.Educational.Products/Accessing.NASA.Education.Brochure/ 

Please take a moment to evaluate this product at http://ehb2.gsfc.nasa.gov/edcats/educational_wallsheet. Your evaluation and 

suggestions are vital to continually improving NASA educational materials. Thank you. 
Center of Mass


National Standards: 

Technology


Standard 9—Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.


Standard 18—Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use transportation technologies.


Mathematics Standards


• Algebra—Understand patterns 

• Use mathematical models 

Science 

• Physical Science 

• Position and motion of objects 

• Science and Technology 

• Abilities of technological design 

Assessment: 

Procedure: 

1. Demonstrate the importance of knowing where the center of mass is moving an object by placing a heavy book on 

a smooth tabletop and pushing it across the surface with one finger. Push the book at one of its edges and then in the 

middle. The book will rotate whenever a push is not in line with its center of mass. 

2. Cut an irregular shape from a piece of cardboard. Punch small holes in various locations around the edge of the 

cardboard. Hang the cardboard from a nail and slip the string with the plumb bob over the nail. Use a marker to draw 

a line across the cardboard along the string. Remove the cardboard and hang it again from another hole, and again 

draw a line. Repeat until you have several lines crossing the cardboard shape. The intersection of the lines will be the 

center of mass. 

3. Punch a hole in both sides of two boxes and pass the dowel through the four holes. Find the location of the center 

of mass of boxes and dowel by pushing it across a table with a force perpendicular to the dowel. Add a weight to 

one box. 

What happens to the center of mass? Add a weight to the other box. What happens to the center of mass? Have students 

predict where the center of mass will be when more weights are added to one box or the other. Why do the location 

of the weights in the boxes make a difference? 

Ask students to prepare a briefing on center of mass to a group of new technicians hired by NASA 

to help build the International Space Station. The briefing should include a description of Estimating 4. Discuss how the weights added to the boxes represent modules and other elements of the International Space Station, and why it is important for the placement of these pieces 

what the center of mass of an object is and why it is important to the ISS. The to be symmetrical. 

text for the briefing should be written out and illustrated with diagrams that 

will be presented with viewgraphs or with presentation software. 5. Challenge students to find a way to mathematically determine the center of 

mass of a simple system, such as a meter stick with various weights of known 

Background: mass attached to it in different locations. After determining mathematically where 

the center of mass should be, have students test their prediction by suspending 

The space around Earth is becoming crowded with satellites, old rocket boosters, the stick from its center of mass. If the stick remains horizontal, the center 

and other debris. Although wayward space objects eventually reenter Earth’s atmosphere, of mass will have been located it the stick does not balance. Ask students if 

they could present a danger to the International Space Station while still in low-Earth 

orbit. The ISS will be orbiting Earth at a speed of about 8 kilometers per second. A spent rocket 

booster, traveling in a similar orbit but from the opposite direction, could collide with the ISS with a total 

closing speed of 16 kilometers per second. The impact would be catastrophic. Even collisions with much smaller 

they included the mass of the stick on each side of the predicted balance point in 

their determination. 

6. Examine pictures of the International Space Station and discuss the possible location of the station’s center of 

Center of 

Mass 

objects could lead to significant damage. 

To protect the ISS, all objects in Earth orbit above a few centimeters in diameter are tracked by radar from the ground. 

When orbital projections indicate the potential of a collision, positive action can be taken to move the ISS out of the 

way. A situation like this occurred in 1998, when a Pegasus booster rocket was on a possible collision course with the 

first two ISS elements in orbit. Orbital plots indicated that the booster and the station would come within 1.4 kilometers 

of each other. Uncertainties in the plot led ISS mission controllers to command the station to fire its thrusters for five 

seconds. The adjustment to the ISS orbit kept the two bodies 25 kilometers from each other when they passed. 

As the ISS grows in size, it will become a greater target for orbital debris. Thus, the station needs excellent maneuvering 

capability. To make accurate orbital adjustments, thrusts have to be accomplished in a direct line with the station’s 

center of mass. Pushing out of line of the center of mass will cause the station to rotate rather than to alter its orbit. 

When new station elements are added to the structure, they have to be placed symmetrically in order to maintain the 

center of mass of the entire structure in the desired location. 

Materials: 

Heavy book Nail 2 small cardboard boxes 

Table top Marker pen 1/2-inch dowel 

Cardboard String with plumb bob or small weight Various weights 

mass. Identify the thrusters on the station. Ask students if thrusters must be in direct line with the ISS’s center of mass. 

Could balanced pairs of thrusters on opposite sides of the center of mass accomplish orbital adjustments? You can 

demonstrate this concept by pushing equally on both boxes or unevenly if the weights were different. 

Extension: 

Examine other structures, vehicles, and systems in which the placement of center of mass is important. Why is the 

location of the center of mass important to airplanes, trucks, and ships? How can center of mass placement problems 

be counteracted with technology? For example, the center of mass of a bicycle rider is high above the bike frame, 

causing an unstable condition. Why don’t the bike and rider tip over? (The wheels provide stability while rotating.) 
Create a Full-Scale Layout of the International Space Station


National Standards 

Technology—Students will apply design processes (model a solution; test, evaluate, and refine the design; reevaluate


the final solution).


Mathematics—Students will apply problem solving and measurement (make decisions about units and scales that are


appropriate for problem situations involving measurement).


Assessment 

When you are finished, your team should have the following: 

• Table of team component dimensions. 

• A diagram identifying and labeling all distances and key points. 

•	 Completed, full-scale layout of the International Space Station (ISS) dimensions within 10 percent of those in 

Figure 1. 

•	 Team presentation with comments on results of the activity, suggestions for improvement, table, sketch, and 

photographs of final layout if available. 

Background 

Although it is difficult to imagine, the ISS, when completed, will be longer and wider than a football field. This activity 

will allow you to envision the actual dimensions of the completed ISS as it orbits Earth. You’ll work in teams to convert 

scale dimensions to obtain the actual size of the International Space Station. Then you’ll lay out a full-scale perimeter 

outline of the ISS. Once you’re done, you can even invite other students and community members on a tour! 

A A A A 

E1 

D2 

D1 E2 E2

C 

E1 F 

G H2 

H1 

I J K M N 

L 

Q1 O A A A A 

P R T 

S U 

V Q2 

B B

22498 

108476 714 

72934 

67504 

Figure 1. 43938 Dimensions are given in millimeters. ISS diagram and key. 

Module Identification Key 

A – Main Solar Panels K – Habitation Module 

B – Truss L – Node 3 

C – Progress Vehicle M – Common Berthing Adapter 

D1 – Zvezda Service Module N – Crew Return Vehicle 

D2 – Zvezda Micrometeroid/Orbital Debris Wings O – U.S. Lab (Destiny Laboratory Module) 

E1 – Science Power Platform (SPP) Solar Panels P – JEM ELM Exposed Section 

E2 – Science Power Platform (SPP) Core Q1 – JEM Exposed Facility 

F – Research Module Q2 – JEM Exposed Facility “Projections” 

G – Docking Compartment R – JEM Pressurized Module (Kibo) 

H1 – Zarya (Functional Cargo Block or FGB) S – Node 2 

H2 – Zarya’s Solar Panels T – Columbus Orbital Facility 

I – Docking and Storage Module U – Pressurized Mating Adaptator 2 (PMA 2) 

J – Pressurized Mating Adaptator 1 (PMA 1) V – Propulsion Module 

Materials—Part 1—Calculations, Sketches, and Planning 

• ISS diagram and key (Figure 1) 

• Metric rulers (one per person) 

• Calculators or computer with spreadsheet program (one per team) 

• Paper for team sketches 

Materials—Part 2—Physical Layout 

•	 Measuring devices, including human “pacers” (Take 5 steps or “paces,” measure the distance traveled, 

and determine the length of one pace. Then use your paces to measure distance.) 

• String or flagging tape (approx. 6,000 ft—extra if you lay out material for reference lines) 

• Items to fix tape/string to the ground (400 brightly colored golf tees, weights, pegs, masking tape, etc.) 

• Nine road hazard cones or other easily visible field markers 

• Scissors to cut tape (at least one pair per team) 

Procedure—Part I—Calculations, Sketching, Planning (approximately 45 minutes) 

1. After student team assignments are made, use Figure 1 to identify your team’s space station components. 

2. As a class, use Figures 1 and 2 to decide upon the point or points that will represent the “design/layout center” of 

your space station outline. Draw an appropriate vertical and/or horizontal line through the point(s). 

3. Each team should highlight and identify its space station components on Figure 1. Check with the neighboring team(s) 

to make sure there is no duplication of ISS components. Make a sketch of your team’s components. 

4. Use a team table of ISS components provided by the teacher (or if you have time, make your own table). 

5. Determine how many times the drawing shown in Figure 1 will “fit into” the actual size of the International Space 

Station. This will give you a scale ratio, such as 1,000 to 1. 

6. Measure each dimension of your assigned ISS components on Figure 1. Multiply dimensions by the scale determined 

in step 5. Record the diagram measurements and calculated ISS dimensions in your table. 

7. When all teams have finished their calculations, prepare to lay out your outline of the ISS. Consult with the other 

teams to make sure your “design decisions” (component distances from reference points, etc.) meet their design needs 

and expectations. 

Procedure—Part 2—Outdoor Layout of ISS Perimeter (approximately 2 hours) 

1. Take your labeled sketch and all needed materials to the field to lay out the perimeters of your team’s ISS components. 

2. First, position the truss midpoint in the middle of the field to make sure the finished outline will fit into the space 

available. Put down marker cones for the truss line and a vertical line that will run through the center of the ISS 

components. These two center lines will be perpendicular to each other. Place four additional cones to represent the 

outer points of the main solar panels. Verify that all the cones are correctly aligned and the right distance from each 

other (see Figure 2). 

3. Perform your ISS layout assignments. 

4. Once outlines are completed, label all components. 

5. Be prepared to give a guided tour of your team’s ISS components. 

Visit the ISS ChallengeTM Web site for help with metric conversions, additional diagrams, and other ISS-related 

activities (http://www2.cet.edu/iss/activities/main.asp). 

Figure 2. Reference marker placement before outlining ISS components. 
ISS Model


National Standards: 

Technology 

Standard 9—Students will develop an understanding of Engineering Design Standard 10 and of the roles of 

troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving. 

Standard 16—Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use energy and power technologies. 

Standard 17—Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use information and communication 

technologies. 

Standard 18—Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use transportation technologies. 

Standard 19—Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use manufacturing technologies. 

Standard 20—Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use construction technologies. 

Mathematics Standards 

Number and Operation—Compute fluently Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas 

Geometry—Specify locations Science 

Procedure: 

1. Students will be working in teams to construct a model of the International Space Station. Each team will be 

responsible for one or more specific systems of the station. It will be up to each team to research the systems they 

are assigned to construct, determine what materials to use, and construct the components that make up the system. 

Because the actual station will be as large as two football fields side by side, their model will have to be considerably 

smaller. It will be important for all teams to construct their components to the same scale. It will also be important to 

develop standard ways of joining elements, produced by each of the teams, together. 

2. Identify the different teams for the model. The following teams, based on a systems approach, are suggested: 

Structure Communications and Data Handling 

Environmental Management Attitude Control and Propulsion 

Energy Transportation and Manufacturing 

3. Have teams refer to this poster and to the NASA ISS Internet sites listed in the Resource section for information 

about the systems they are assigned to work on. Each team will have to understand not only their requirements but 

also those of the other teams. For example, the Environmental Management team will need to understand the requirements 

for providing a healthy and usable environment for the crew, how energy is provided, and how waste heat and other 

contaminants are dealt with. This will require familiarization with the ISS needs for Structure and Energy. 

4. Have each team select a representative to meet with other team representatives to 

Apply transformation Science and Technology discuss design issues such as construction standards, scale, and a timetable for 

Use visualization Abilities of technological design completion. 

Measurement—Understand measurable attributes 

5. If possible, have students create construction diagrams on a computer using a CAD 

Assessment: program. 

Examine the quality of construction of the station elements, how well they fit together, 6. Have teams construct the components for their systems. Remind them to communicate


and their appropriate sizing. Have each team submit a written report describing the system with other teams on a regular basis to coordinate efforts and test how well systems


they specialized in and how they met the challenges they experienced in constructing integrate with each other.


their station elements. Also review the scale drawings made by the teams of the elements


they constructed. 7. Assemble the model in the classroom. If possible, suspend the model from the ceiling


or create some sort of stand to support it. 

Background: 

8. Ask each student team to brief the rest of the class on the system and elements 

The International Space Station poses major engineering and fabrication challenges. Not they created for the model. Be sure they describe both the system and how it integrates 

only is the station made up of more than 100 major elements, the elements are being with the functions of the other systems of the station. 

Astronaut Susan J. Helms, Expedition Two flight engineer, works 

at the Human Research Facility’s (HRF) Ultrasound Flat Screen 

Display and Keyboard Module in the Destiny/U.S. Laboratory. 

A digital still camera was used to record this image. 

fabricated in 16 different nations. Every piece of the ISS must use the same measurement


systems or equivalents. Electrical power must be the same. Fluid transfer lines must precisely match. Data and


communication systems must be compatible. The different assembly teams need to communicate clearly, often, and


in the same language.


To create a successful, safe, and useful Space Station, standards of all sorts had to be established, including standards


for materials and manufacturing techniques.


Materials: 

Metric measurement tools (engineer scale, ruler or tape measure, caliper, balance or electronic scale, etc.) 

Construction tools (the kinds of tools will be determined by the materials used) 

Wood, plastic, metal, paper, or other construction stock Computer with Internet access to ISS sites 

Fasteners (glue, etc.) CAD program (optional) 

Paint and brushes or paint sprayer This poster 

Extension: 

As a follow-up activity or as an alternative to modeling the International Space Station, have students design and 

construct their own station for use in orbit around the Moon or another planet. What design, transportation, manufacturing, 

energy, and communication problems will be encountered by placing an orbital station hundreds of thousands or 

millions of kilometers away? 

Pretend that your class has decided to go into business constructing models of the International Space Station for 

other schools and museums. Discuss ways in which the teams could mass-produce the model. How would the pieces 

be constructed? Should the model be shipped in pieces for assembly by the receivers or shipped fully assembled? How 

much would they charge for the model? 

EW-2003-06-141-HQ 
Legend 

Acronym Definition Acronym Definition 

SPP Science Power Platform ITS P3/P4 Integrated Truss Segment Port Trusses Three and Four 

SM with MMOD Debris Wings Service Module with Micrometeoroid/Orbital Debris Wings ITS P5/P6 Integrated Truss Segment Port Trusses Five and Six 

FGIB Functionalni Gruzvoi Blok PMA-1 Pressurized Mating Adaptor 1 

UDM Universal Docking Module A/L Airlock 

DC-2 Docking Compartment 2 ITS Z1 Integrated Truss Segment Zenith Truss One 

RM-1 Research Module 1 PMA-3 Pressurized Mating Adaptor 3 

RM-2 Research Module 2 Lab United States Laboratory Module 

DSM Docking and Stowage Module CAM Centrifuge Accomodation Module 

ITS S5/S6 Integrated Truss Segment Starboard Trusses Five and Six PMA-2 Pressurized Mating Adaptor 2 

ITS S3/S4 Integrated Truss Segment Starboard Trusses Three and Four JEM PM Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Module 

ITS S1 Integrated Truss Segment Starboard Truss One JEM ELM-PS Japanese Experiment Module Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section 

ITS SO Integrated Truss Segment Starboard Truss Zero; formerly called Midship 1 (Ml) Truss JEM EF Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility 

ITS P1 Integrated Truss Segment Port Truss One JEM ELM-ES Japanese Experiment Module Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section 

TITLE International Space Station 

Revision G Assembly Sequence 

Labeled Exploded View Illustration 

SIZE 

C* 

DATE 

7/31/2002 

DRAWING NUMBER 

02-DR0065 SCALE 

1/400 

REVISION 

Original 

AUTHOR 

NASA 

* Modified for requestor. Not per ANSI standards. 

The illustration on the front side of this poster is a CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawing of the fully assembled ISS. 

The diagram on this side of the poster is a CAD drawing of the station in an exploded view. These drawings illustrate 

some of the complexity of the ISS structure. For more information about the ISS structure including the assembly 

sequence, check the web sites listed under the “Additional Web Resources” section.