Skylab: First U.S. Space Station Skylab: First U.S. Space Station By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | February 1, 2013 06:40pm ET MORE The Skylab Orbital Workshop experienced a failure that led to a replacement shield to protect against solar heating. Credit: NASA. Skylab was the first space station operated by the United States. It spent six years orbiting Earth until its decaying orbit caused it to re-enter the atmosphere. It scattered debris over the Indian Ocean and sparsely settled areas of Western Australia. Three crews successfully lived on board the station for several months each. The last crew spent 84 days in orbit — an American record that stood until the shuttle era. [ Photos: Skylab, the 1st U.S. Space Station ] Rocky start Various NASA centers had kicked around ideas for a space station for years before Skylab launched. However, the agency was very focused on the space race and moonshots that dominated public consciousness in the 1960s. Money for other endeavors was not as available.

As Apollo began to wind down in the early 1970s, NASA began an Apollo Applications Program to fly unused hardware from the moon program. One idea, proposed by famous Apollo rocket engineer Wernher von Braun , would be to build a space station out of an unused rocket stage. The design evolved over the years as NASA struggled with reduced funding. Skylab finally aimed for space on May 14, 1973. However, a meteoroid shield that was supposed to shelter Skylab accidentally opened about 63 seconds into the launch. The still-thick atmosphere tore the shield off, plunging Skylab into a serious situation. The facility experienced communications problems with the antenna as a result of the incident, but that was the least of the agency's worries. "When the meteoroid shield ripped loose, it disturbed the mounting of workshop solar array wing No. 2 and caused it to partially deploy. The exhaust plume of the second stage retro-rockets impacted the partially deployed solar array and literally blew it into space," NASA wrote. Workers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center scrambled to stabilize the station.

Among other measures, they put the station in an attitude that would minimize overheating, and came up with ways to cope with the station's reduced power situation. Meanwhile, the first crew – led by Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad – would need to make the station habitable before they could get to work. The crew's first challenge during the spacewalk, just hours after launch, was deploying the solar array, but initial attempts met with no luck as a metal strip holding it down refused to give way. Crew members emerged from an expected communications blackout in a foul mood, according to an official NASA account of the mission. "The astronauts were venting their frustration with four-letter words, while Houston repeatedly tried to remind them that communication had resumed," NASA wrote. Realizing the tools they had with them that day would not work, Conrad abandoned the exercise and focused on trying to dock his spacecraft with the station. Unfortunately, the docking mechanism failed and the crew had to depressurize the spacecraft and bypass electrical connections to achieve it. In subsequent days, Conrad's crew erected a sun shade , successfully deployed the stuck array, and began operational work aboard the station.

While the incident was frustrating for the teams involved, it also demonstrated that it was possible to fix a badly damaged space station while it is in orbit. Cutaway view of Skylab Why Doesn't the International Space Station Have a Name? Why Doesn't the International Space Station Have a Name? By Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com Assistant Managing Editor | August 8, 2011 11:21am ET MORE The International Space Station is primarily a science laboratory in space. NASA would like to invest in ventures beyond Earth orbit, but industry leaders fear what will happen if the agency pulls out its investment in the station before a commercial options is available. Credit: NASA The largest and most expensive structure ever built in space is still waiting for a name. The International Space Station, a $100 billion project of 15 nations, often is called simply "station" or "ISS" by NASA flight controllers. "We started talking years ago about naming ISS," Mike Suffredini, NASA's International Space Station program manager, told SPACE.com. "You know, we've been busy building it.

We haven’t been worrying about what we're going to call it." During the first mission to the station, Expedition 1, NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd used the call sign "Alpha" to refer to the facility. The name has been used informally off and on over subsequent missions. But now that the orbiting laboratory is fully built — all the original modules planned for it have been installed — the time may be right to reconsider whether the outpost deserves a moniker with more character. [ Photos: Building the International Space Station ] "Now is about the time that I would guess it might surface back again and we might start thinking, what do we want to call this thing?" Suffredini said. But the decision will be complicated, as it must be agreed on by all the space station's international partners: Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe. Previous space stations have been named by the nations that built them, such as Russia's Space Station Mir and NASA's Skylab orbiting lab. China has named the first module of its space station Tiangong-1 ("Heavenly Palace"). Yet a formal name for the International Space Station remains elusive. "It really is a partnership decision," Suffredini said.

"We can't just go name things." The focus is on the International Space Station now that NASA's 30-year space shuttle program is done. The last space shuttle landed July 21, capping off the STS-135 mission and the 134 previous shuttle missions that came before it. For the past 13 years, the space shuttles have been focused on constructing the space station, which spans the length of a football field. Now that the facility is built, NASA and its partners will begin utilizing it in earnest, Suffredini said, reducing the amount of time astronauts must spend assembling the station and upping the hours they spend constructing scientific research. [ Infographic: The International Space Station Inside and Out ] The station is home to a rotating crew of six. Even though space shuttles will no longer be transporting astronauts there, U.S. astronauts will rent seats on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, until commercial American vehicles are ready to carry them. The American portions of the International Space Station have been designated a U.S. National Laboratory, and NASA has hired an independent nonprofit to manage the research that goes on inside them.

The agency wants to encourage NASA scientists, as well as non-NASA researchers and industry, to use the space station to conduct experiments that capitalize on the microgravity environment. Fields such as biological science, materials research, crystal growth, vaccine development and more are fertile ground for weightless projects, NASA officials say. Sounds like the kind of enterprise that could use a name. You can follow SPACE.com Senior Writer Clara Moskowitz on Twitter @ ClaraMoskowitz . Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook . Editor's Recommendations Skylab Space Station Received Official Name in 1970 Mike Wright Marshall Space Flight Center Historian In 1970 a new and official name was assigned to one of the most important projects in the 35-year history of the Marshall Center. In February 1970, NASA approved the name "Skylab" for a project that would result in America's first space station. Of course, the origins of Skylab go back further than 1970. In the mid- 1960s NASA employees focused their talents on answering President Kennedy's challenge to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade.

At the Marshall Center, this meant developing the huge Saturn rockets. At the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, it meant developing the Apollo spacecraft, and at the Kennedy Space Center it meant getting ready to launch the Apollo 11 astronauts to the moon. But while progress toward a manned lunar landing moved forward in the 1960s, NASA planners were also studying the direction that NASA might take after Apollo. The studies focused on how Saturn/Apollo technology could serve as building blocks for new space objectives. Long before President Kennedy issued his manned lunar landing challenge to the nation, space flight engineers and scientists like Wernher von Braun had dreamed of the day when humans could stay in space for extended periods of time and perform meaningful scientific experiments. During the 1960s, NASA officials like Von Braun, who served as the first Director of the Marshall Center, knew that the Apollo spacecraft would be a versatile spacecraft but that it would be designed for extremely limited manned scientific operations. NASA moved forward to accomplish the Apollo missions, but it also studied ways to build future spacecraft that could stay in space for longer periods of time and accomplish more detailed scientific objectives. The key to the planning revolved around making maximum use of Apollo technology.

Such studies began in the mid-1960s under such uninspiring titles as "Extended Apollo (Apollo X)" and the "Apollo Extension System (AES)." In 1965 NASA grouped such studies under something called the "Apollo Applications Program," another name that failed at inspiration. In reality, what NASA wanted to build after Apollo might have been called a "space station." But that term brought huge dollar signs to the minds of the nation's political leaders at a time when the United States was pouring massive expenditures into the war in Vietnam and assigning new priorities to its domestic needs. Still NASA studied its options and turned to the third stage of Marshall's Saturn V moon rocket for the answer. The stage required massive amounts of fuel when NASA used it on the Saturn V to launch the Apollo astronauts to the moon. But the extra fuel would not be required for an earth orbital mission, and the stage could be completely outfitted as an orbital workshop before launch. NASA officials knew their idea for using a Saturn rocket stage as a laboratory in space needed a name and it needed identity. Trying to call the program "Apollo Applications" just didn't work, according to Skylab historians David Compton and Charles Benson. "AAP" became the butt of frequent jokes.

Opponents referred to it as "Almost a Programs' and as "Apples, Apricots and Pears." According to Compton and Benson, one editorial cartoon showed two Martians observing the AAP space station. One with a puzzled expression was telling the other. "I don't know what the hell it is, but I think they call it AAP." NASA Administrator Thomas Paine decided to remedy the situation. At his direction, a committee considered nearly 100 names and recommended eight, four from mythology and four from American history. In reality, the committee passed over the recommendations and selected, instead, a name submitted by Lt. Col. Donald Steelman, an Air Force officer on duty with NASA in 1968. "Skylab" was a contraction for "laboratory in the Sky" and was quickly accepted within and outside of NASA. Of course, Skylab's success and place in history has rested on more than its name. The 100-ton orbital workshop was launched on May 14, 1973 aboard a Marshall-managed Saturn V.

Marshall-developed Saturn IB rockets were later used to launch three different three-man crews to the Skylab space station, which served as a complete orbiting home and scientific laboratory for the nine Skylab astronauts who lived and worked in teams of three in shirtsleeve comfort. Skylab's comprehensive program of scientific experimentation revealed unknown information about man's capability to withstand long periods of weightlessness, about the adaptability of living creatures to the space environment, and about life itself. Historic Spacecraft - International Space Station Historic Spacecraft ( View Larger Version ) Overview The International Space Station (ISS) serves as an orbital laboratory and supports a permanent crew of up to six personnel. On-orbit construction started in 1998, with continuous human presence beginning in 2000 with the arrival of the first ISS crew. The first ISS crew consisted of ISS commander William Shepherd, Soyuz commander Yuri Gidzenko, and flight engineer Sergei Krikalev. The station includes more then a dozen pressurized modules, including the Russian Zvezda service module, the American Destiny laboratory, the European Columbus module, and the Japanese Kibo laboratory.

A large truss, measuring over 90 meters in length, provides mounting points for solar arrays, radiators, and other components. Four large solar arrays generate around 100 kilowatts of usable power. A Mobile Servicing System, or MSS, aids with construction, resupply, and maintenance of the space station. The MSS consists of three main components. The Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), known as Canadarm 2, is a robotic arm measuring over 17 meters in length. The Mobile Base System (MBS) is a work platform that can move along the truss. The Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), known as Dextre, includes two manipulator arms, tool holders and lights. The station operates in an orbit inclined 51.6 degrees to the equator. The Space Station is supplied by an international fleet of spacecraft. These spacecraft provide a variety of services, including crew transport, pressurized cargo resupply, space station re-boost, cargo return, and refueling capabilities. With the arrival of STS-133 on February 26, 2011, a record six vehicles were at the station simultaneously ( illustration below ).

In addition to Space Shuttle Discovery, three Russian spacecraft included Soyuz TMA-01M, Soyuz TMA-20 and Progress M-09M were docked to the station. A Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-2), and a European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV-2), were also at the station. Visiting Vehicles at the ISS on 10 April 2016. Information About Selected ISS Modules Zarya Control Module The Zarya module, sometimes known as the Functional Cargo Block (FGB), was the first ISS module to be launched. Paid for by the United States, Zarya was built by Russia. The module provided power, attitude control, and other systems for the station during early years of construction. The module continues to provide storage space for space station supplies. ISS Assembly Mission - 1 A/R Launch Vehicle - Proton rocket Launch Date - 20 November 1998 Node 1 (Unity) Node 1, also known as Unity, was the first American built pressurized module added to the station. The module has six Common Berthing Mechanisms (CBM). Each CBM provides a mounting point for other modules.

Two Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMA) were launched with the Node. PMA-1, attached to the aft CBM, serves as a pressurized tunnel between the Zarya module and Node 1. PMA-2, used as a docking port for American Space Shuttles, was originally attached to the forward CBM. PMA-2 has been relocated several times as new modules were added. PMA-2 is currently attached to the forward CBM on Node 2 Node 1 can be fitted with up to four standard payload racks. ISS Assembly Mission - 2A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-88) Launch Date - 4 December 1998 Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMA) Pressurized Mating Adaptors (PMA) are used as interfaces between Common Berthing Mechanisms and spacecraft docking equipment. The ISS currently includes three PMAs. PMA-1 PMA-1, attached to the aft CBM of Node 1, connects to the forward docking port of the Zarya module. The PMA provides a pressurized tunnel between American and Russian built space station sections.

ISS Assembly Mission - 2A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-88) Launch Date - 4 December 1998 PMA-2 PMA-2 is used as a docking interface for American Space Shuttles. The PMA was originally attached to the forward CBM of Node 1. PMA-2 has been relocated several times as new modules were added. PMA-2 is currently attached to the forward CBM on Node 2 ISS Assembly Mission - 2A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-88) Launch Date - 4 December 1998 PMA-3 PMA-3 is used as an alternate docking location for American Space Shuttles. The PMA was originally attached to the nadir, or Earth facing, CBM of Node 1. ISS Assembly Mission - 3A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-92) Launch Date - 11 October 2000 Zvezda Service Module Similar to the Mir base block, Zvezda provides living quarters, waste management equipment, life support systems, communications and control equipment. The module has four docking ports.

Zvezda includes a propulsion system consisting of 32 attitude control engines and two orbital maneuvering engines. ISS Assembly Mission - 1R Launch Date - 12 July 2000 Z1-Truss The Z-1 Truss houses communications, electrical distribution, and attitude control equipment. Z-1 is permanently attached to the Zenith berthing port on Node 1. Communication equipment includes components for both S-band and Ku-band systems. Four control movement gyroscopes (CMG) provide attitude control for the station. The Z-1 truss served as a temporary attachment point for the P-6 truss. Solar arrays mounted on the P-6 truss provided power during the early years of space station construction. P-6 was later moved to its permanent position on the main truss as assembly progressed. ISS Assembly Mission - 3A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-92) Launch Date - 11 October 2000 Destiny Laboratory Module (U.S. Lab) Located between Node 1 and Node 2, the US Lab can be considered the "core" of the American section. The module is designed to hold 24 standard size modular racks.

These racks can be changed out in orbit and can be used for different purposes, including life support equipment, robotics control stations, crew quarters, waste management, storage, and various scientific experiments designed to be installed in orbit. New payload racks can be delivered in an MPLM, or the Japanese HTV spacecraft. A high quality window, 50.9 cm (20 inch) in diameter, is located in the side of the module. This window can be used for photography and other Earth resource experiments. ISS Assembly Mission - 5A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-98) Launch Date - 7 February 2001 Canadarm2 (SSRMS) Canadarm2, also known as the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSMRS) is a 17.6 m robotic arm used to assemble and service the International Space Station. The arm has seven degrees of freedom and features Latching End Effectors (LEEs) at each end. The LEEs can attach to payload grapple fixtures or to Power Data Grapple Fixtures (PDGFs) located at strategic points around the station.

The PDGFs serve as mounting points for the arm and permit power and data connections to be made. The arm can reposition itself from one PDGF location to another using an inchworm-like movement. ISS Assembly Mission - 6A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-100) Launch Date - 19 April 2001 Joint Airlock (Quest) The Quest airlock supports Extravehicular Activity (EVA). Quest is composed of two cylindrical chambers. The larger chamber, known as the Equipment Lock, provides an area for storing and maintaining EVA equipment, and for conducting EVA preparations. The smaller chamber, known as the Crew Lock, can be depressurized to allow astronauts to exit the module. To reduce the amount of atmosphere lost during each EVA depressurization, a special pump is used to extract as much atmosphere as possible from the Crew Lock prior to venting the remaining atmosphere. Storage boxes, mounted on the exterior of the Crew Lock, provide storage space for EVA tools used during spacewalks. High-pressure atmospheric gas tanks are attached to the Equipment Lock exterior. These tanks can be swapped out with new tanks as needed.

ISS Assembly Mission - 7A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-104) Launch Date - 12 July 2001 Docking Compartment 1 (Pirs) Progress M-SO1, launched on a Soyuz rocket on 14 September 2001, delivered the Pirs module to the ISS. Pirs will serve as an airlock for EVA's using Russian space suits. The Pirs module also provides a docking port for Soyuz or Progress spacecraft. ISS Assembly Mission - 4R Launch Date - 14 September 2001 Mobile Base System (MBS) The Mobile Base System (MBS) serves as a base for Canadarm2 and Dextre. The MBS is mounted on a mobile transporter that can move along a track mounted on the main truss. ISS Assembly Mission - UF-2 Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-111) Launch Date - 5 June 2002 Node 2 (Harmony) The Node 2 module includes six CBM ports and can be fitted with up to eight standard payload racks. The module is attached to the forward CBM of the Destiny laboratory module.

Pressurized Mating Adaptor-2 (PMA-2), relocated from the forward CBM of the Destiny laboratory module, is attached to the forward CBM of Node 2 and serves as the primary docking port for American space shuttles. The Japanese Kibo laboratory connects to the port CBM, while the starboard CBM is occupied by the European Columbus laboratory module. As originally planned, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module was to have berthed at the zenith CBM. The Centrifuge Accommodation Module has been cancelled and will not be part of the finished ISS design. Node 2 was constructed by Thales Alenia Space in Italy. ISS Assembly Mission - 10A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-120) Launch Date - 23 October 2007 Columbus Laboratory The Columbus Laboratory was designed and built by the European Space Agency. The module provides pressurized laboratory space and can accommodate up to ten standard payload racks. The module has four mounting points for external experiments.

Columbus is attached to the starboard port of Node 2 ISS Assembly Mission - 1J/A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-122) Launch Date - 7 February 2008 Kibo laboratory The Japanese Kibo laboratory consists of three main components, including the Kibo Pressurized Module, the Experiment Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, and the Exposed Facility. These components were launched on separate Space Shuttle missions. Kibo Experiment Logistics Module - Pressurized Section (ELM-PS) ISS Assembly Mission - 1J/A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-123) Launch Date - 11 March 2008 The Experiment Logistics Module provides storage space for the Kibo laboratory. The first module to be launched, the ELM-PS was temporarily berthed to node 2's zenith port. After the launch and berthing of the Kibo Pressurized Module, the ELM-PS was moved to its permanent location.

Kibo Pressurized Module (PM) Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-124) Launch Date - 31 May 2008 The Kibo pressurized module measures 4.4m in diameter, and 11.2m in length. The module includes two large windows, a robotic arm, and a scientific airlock. A common berthing adaptor, on the zenith surface, provides an attachment point for the ELM-PS. Kibo Exposed Facility (EF) Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-127) Launch Date - 15 July 2009 The Kibo Exposed Facility is an external platform that provides attachment points for various experiments and components. Kibo's robotic arm can be used to service these experiments. If necessary, individual components may be brought into the pressurized module using the airlock. Mini Research Module-2 (Poisk) Mini Research Module-2 (MRM-2), also known as Poisk, was delivered to the ISS using a modified Progress tug. MRM-2 will provide a docking location for visiting Soyuz and Progress spacecraft.

The module can also be used as an airlock and support spacewalks using Russian Orlan spacesuits. ISS Assembly Mission - 5R Launch Date - 10 November 2009 Node 3 (Tranquility) The Node 3 module includes six CBM ports and can be fitted with up to eight standard payload racks. The module is currently attached to the port berthing port on Node 1. Node 3 was designed and built by Thales Alenia Space in Italy. ISS Assembly Mission - 20A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-130) Launch Date - 8 February 2010 Cupola The Cupola allows panoramic views of space and provides a robotics control station for operating Canadarm 2 and Dextre. The Cupola features seven large windows. Each window has four panes, an inner pane to protect from scratches, two pressure pains, each 25mm thick, and an outer pane to protect from space debris. Each window pane can be replaced if needed. To reduce damage from micrometeoroids and orbital debris, the windows are covered with moveable shutters when not in use.

The Cupola is currently attached to the Earth-facing berthing port on Node 3. ISS Assembly Mission - 20A Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-130) Launch Date - 8 February 2010 Mini Research Module-1 (MRM-1) The Russian built Mini Research Module-1 (MRM-1), provided the station with additional storage space, as well as additional clearance for Soyuz docking approaches. The MLM is berthed at the Nadir (Earth facing) port of the Zarya (FGB) module. MRM-1 was launched with Russian and American supplies loaded inside. Four trunnions, mounted two per side on outriggers, supported the module in the Shuttles payload bay during launch. Grapple fixtures on the module allowed the Shuttle's Canadarm Remote Manipulator System to remove it from the payload bay. The module was passed to the stations arm, Canadarm 2, for final installation. Several components, attached to the MRM-1 exterior, will be later installed on the Multi-purpose Laboratory Module (MLM).

These items included a scientific airlock, a radiator, a work platform, and a spare elbow joint for the European Robotic Arm (ERA). The MLM, scheduled for launch on a Proton rocket in late 2011, will dock at the Nadir port of the Zvezda service module. ISS Assembly Mission - ULF4 Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-132) Launch Date - 14 May 2010 Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) The Permanent Multipurpose Module was created by modifying a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM). MPLMs were originally constructed to transfer pressurized cargo to and from the space station. Designed to be transported in the space shuttle cargo bay, these modules were only designed for several weeks in space. The MPLM "Leonardo" was transformed into the PLM. Modifications included increased micrometeoroid shielding, and internal changes to increase accessibility of equipment for maintenance in orbit. The PMM is berthed to the nadir port of Node 1.

ISS Assembly Mission - ULF5 Launch Vehicle - Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) Launch Date - 24 February 2011 ISS Resupply and Crew Transport Comparison of ISS Crew and Cargo Vehicles The Space Station is supplied by an international fleet of spacecraft. Sometimes referred to as "visiting vehicles", these spacecraft provide a variety of services , including crew transport, pressurized cargo resupply, space station reboost, cargo return, and refueling capabilities. Soyuz Originally part of the Soviet Moon landing program, Soyuz has evolved into one of the world's most reliable crew transport spacecraft. The value of Soyuz goes far beyond simply carrying crew to and from space. Soyuz, capable of spending six months docked to a station, can serve as a lifeboat, allowing a space station to be evacuated at any time if conditions require it. Progress supply ships, based on Soyuz technology, can supply orbiting stations with fuel, water, food, spare parts, and other critical items. Without Soyuz and Progress, continuous crewing of orbital outposts would not be possible. The Soyuz spacecraft is comprised of three main modules. Orbital Module The orbital module provides living and working space while on orbit.

Docking equipment and rendezvous antennas, mounted on the top of the module, allows docking with orbiting space stations. Descent module The descent module contains the crew launch and entry couches, spacecraft controls and parachutes. A heat-shield protects the module during re-entry. The spacecraft has several retro rockets, designed to fire moments before touchdown, to help reduce landing impact forces. The descent module is 2.2 meters in diameter and is the only component of the Soyuz spacecraft to return to Earth. Service Module The service module contains the spacecrafts main engines, attitude control system, and parts of the life support system. Radiators and antennas are mounted on the exterior. Solar panels, included on most Soyuz models, are mounted on the service module. Soyuz-TM Introduced in the mid-1980's, Soyuz-TM would become the primary crew transport vehicle for the Mir space station. Later missions would fly to the International Space Station. Soyuz-TM replaced the Igla rendezvous system, used on previous Soyuz and Progress spacecraft, with the more capable Kurs system. With an ability to remain docked to a space station for six months, the Soyuz-TM was ideal for supporting long duration missions.

Soyuz-TM 1, an unmanned test flight, occurred in May 1986. The first manned mission, Soyuz-TM-2, was launched to the Mir space station in February 1987. The last mission, Soyuz-TM 34, was launched in April 2002. Soyuz-TMA Very similar to the Soyuz TM, the TMA model incorporates several changes to better accommodate NASA astronauts. The first Soyuz-TMA was launched to the International Space Station in October 2002. Space Shuttle Set to retire in 2011, the American space shuttle has been the primary launch vehicle for ISS construction. In addition to its large cargo capacity, the shuttle was able to support space walks during early construction missions. Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) The Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) was developed to transport supplies to the ISS. Built by the Italian Space Agency, the MPLMs were designed to carry up to 16 ISS payload racks. The MPLM could be carried to orbit in the Space Shuttle payload bay.

Once the shuttle docked with the ISS, the MPLM would be removed from the payload bay and temporally berthed at one of the large CBM units. Astronauts aboard the station would open the hatch and unload the MPLM. Even larger components, such as ISS racks could be moved this way. (Some of these components, such as ISS racks, are too large to pass through the APAS-95 docking system used by the Space Shuttle.) Once unloaded, astronauts could fill the module with components for return to Earth. Experimental results, equipment needing repair, and trash could be returned this way. After the hatch is closed, the MPLM would be un-berthed from the station, and returned to the Shuttles payload bay. After returning to Earth, the MPLM would be unloaded, cleaned, and refurbished for use on another mission. Three MPLMs were constructed by the Italian Space Agency. MPLM 1 (Leonardo) MPLM 3 (Donatello) Progress Supply Ship Limited duration space stations, such as Skylab and several of the early Salyut stations, were launched with all the supplies needed for their planned missions. Stations designed for longer occupation often can not be launched with all supplies on board.

Things such as food, water, fuel, spare parts and other items are needed to maintain the station. While crewed spacecraft, such as Soyuz, can carry a limited amount of cargo in addition to crew, it is not nearly enough to support ongoing operations. The Soviets developed Progress, based on flight proven Soyuz-Ferry technology, as an unmanned supply ship. Not needing to include a crew, several major changes could be made. The descent module was removed completely. In its place was a newly developed tanker module. Fuel stored in tanks, within the tanker module, could be transferred to the space stations fuel tanks. This was accomplished via special propellant line connections incorporated into the docking equipment. The orbital module was re-configured to allow transport of pressurized cargo. After docking, space station crew members could open the hatch and unload cargo from the orbital module. While attached to a station, engines on the Progress could be used to adjust the orbit of the entire complex. At the end of their mission, Progress spacecraft would be filled with trash, undocked from the station, and de-orbited over remote areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Early Progress spacecraft, based on the Soyuz Ferry, were battery powered and included the Igla automatic rendezvous and docking system. Progress 1, launched in January 1978, delivered food and supplies to the Salyut 6 space station. While docked, fuel transfers were successfully made between the Progress tanker module and the stations fuel tanks. Between 1978 and 1990, over forty Progress freighters were launched. Missions were flown to the Salyut 6, Salyut 7, and Mir space stations. Progress-M, first flown in 1989, included several significant upgrades. The addition of solar panels extended the time Progress could operate independently. The Igla rendezvous system was replaced with the newer Kurs system. A small return capsule is included on some flights. Carried in the orbital module, the return capsule could be deployed after the Progress undocks from the station. Progress M flew dozens of successful missions to the Mir space station and the International Space Station. Improved versions continue to service the ISS. Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) Designed and operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), the ATV can deliver supplies and fuel to the ISS.

The transport measures approximately 10 meters in length and 4.5 meters in diameter. Four deployable solar arrays generate electrical power. Each ATV is launched on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. The first ATV was launched in 2008. Using an automated system, ATV transports dock to the aft docking port of the Russian Zvezda service module. Once docked, station personnel can unload supplies from the ATV's pressurized compartment. The transport carries a large amount of maneuvering fuel. While docked, the ATV uses its thrusters to re-boost the entire ISS as needed. The ATV carries extra fuel that can be transferred to fuel tanks on the ISS as needed. ATV can spend several months docked to the station. Near the end of its mission, the ATV, filled with trash, undocks, maneuvers away from the station, and de-orbits over unpopulated areas of the Pacific Ocean. H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) The H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) was developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Each HTV is launched on an H-IIB rocket . The first HTV mission occurred in 2009.

The HTV measures approximately 10 meters by 4.4 meters and can transport a payload of around 6 tons, including both internal and external cargo. Internal cargo is housed in a pressurized volume designed to hold up to eight International Standard Payload Racks (ISPRs). An unpressurized section allows external cargo to be transported. A removable pallet, supporting external cargo, can be extracted from the side of the HTV using Canadarm 2. The pallet can be temporally attached to the ISS, allowing external cargo to be unloaded as needed. HTV spacecraft don't directly dock with the space station, as is done with Shuttle, Soyuz, Progress, and ATV, instead, the HTV will approach the station and station keep within reach of Canadarm 2. Astronauts on the station use the arm to grapple the HTV and manually move it to a berthing location. Depending on operational requirements, the transport will be berthed to either the nadir (earth-facing) or zenith port on the Node-2 (Harmony) module. Because the HTV attaches to a berthing port, rather than the smaller docking ports, larger payloads can be transferred to the station.

The HTV can spend several months at the ISS. Its mission complete, the vehicle, filled with trash, maneuvers away from the ISS and de-orbits over unpopulated areas. SpaceX Dragon Capsule Developed by SpaceX in partnership with NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, the Dragon capsule is capable of carrying both pressurized and unpressurized cargo to the International Space Station. At the end of each mission, the spacecraft can return pressurized cargo back to Earth. With the successful completion in May 2012 of the COTS 2+ demo flight, SpaceX was ready to start regular resupply flights to the International Space Station. Two or three Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) missions will be flown by SpaceX each year. Each mission will use a Dragon capsule launched on a Falcon 9 rocket. The first flight of the Dragon capsule, launched on a Falcon 9 rocket in December 2010, became the first privately developed spacecraft to return safely to Earth from orbit. In May 2012, the second Dragon flight became the first commercial vehicle to berth with the International Space Station. SpaceX developed both the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft.

They are working toward developing rapidly reusable versions of each. A crewed version of the Dragon, capable of transporting up to seven astronauts, is in development. The Falcon Heavy rocket, also in development, will have over twice the lifting power of the largest rockets currently in use. Dragon Missions International Space Station The International Space Station Quoting from NASA, "The mission of the International Space Station is to enable long-term exploration of space and provide benefits to the people on Earth." This is being accomplished by building a permanent orbiting platform on which research can be conducted in a near gravity-free environment. The types of activity performed on the ISS include, but not be limited to, medical research, life sciences research, and research and development of materials. Track the International Space Station in orbit. Credit - NASA (STS-110 17 April 2002) (Click to enlarge - 712KB) The ISS doesn't have an official name. When it was first proposed during the Reagan years, it was a strictly American space station with a tentative name of "Freedom". As the early stages of partnering began, the proposed name was changed to "Alpha". That name was also dropped as Russia assumed a greater role in funding and design.

Patch originally proposed for the space station "Freedom" On 2 November 2000 the first crew was given permission to use the name "Alpha" when referring to the International Space Station. This permission was given with great reluctance. Alpha indicates first, but the Russian station Mir was around years before the ISS, and the Russian Salyut stations were around before that. Then of course there was the American Skylab. The name "Alpha" never really took, so the station is commonly referred to simply as "The International Space Station" or "ISS". (If the station WERE to have an official name, we propose calling it the "ISS Yuri Gagarin". After all, it IS the first INTERNATIONAL space station and Yuri Gagarin WAS the first person into space.) Other resources:

Question: What was the name of the American space station?
Answer: Skylab