space station flight speed. At what altitude do planes, satellites and spaceships fly

The ISS is the successor to the MIR station, the largest and most expensive object in the history of mankind.

What is the size of the orbital station? How much does it cost? How do astronauts live and work on it?

We will talk about this in this article.

What is the ISS and who owns it

The International Space Station (MKS) is an orbital station used as a multipurpose space complex.

This is a scientific project in which 14 countries take part:

• The Russian Federation;
• USA;
• France;
• Germany;
• Belgium;
• Japan;
• Canada;
• Sweden;
• Spain;
• Netherlands;
• Switzerland;
• Denmark;
• Norway;
• Italy.

In 1998, the creation of the ISS began. Then the first module of the Russian Proton-K rocket was launched. Subsequently, other participating countries began to deliver other modules to the station.

Note: in English, the ISS is written as ISS (decoding: International Space Station).

There are people who are convinced that the ISS does not exist, and all space flights are filmed on Earth. However, the reality of the manned station was proven, and the theory of deception was completely refuted by scientists.

The structure and dimensions of the international space station

The ISS is a huge laboratory designed to study our planet. At the same time, the station is home to the astronauts working in it.

The station is 109 meters long, 73.15 meters wide and 27.4 meters high. The total weight of the ISS is 417,289 kg.

How much does an orbital station cost

The cost of the object is estimated at 150 billion dollars. This is by far the most expensive development in human history.

Orbit height and flight speed of the ISS

The average altitude at which the station is located is 384.7 km.

The speed is 27,700 km/h. The station performs a complete revolution around the Earth in 92 minutes.

Time at the station and crew working hours

The station operates according to London time, the working day for the astronauts begins at 6 am. At this time, each crew establishes contact with their country.

Crew reports can be listened to online. The working day ends at 19 pm London time .

Flight path

The station moves around the planet along a certain trajectory. There is a special map that shows which section of the path the ship is passing at a given time. This map also shows different parameters - time, speed, altitude, latitude and longitude.

Why doesn't the ISS fall to Earth? In fact, the object falls to the Earth, but misses, as it constantly moves at a certain speed. It is required to regularly raise the trajectory. As soon as the station loses some of its speed, it gets closer and closer to the Earth.

What is the temperature outside the ISS

The temperature is constantly changing and directly depends on the light and shade environment. In the shade, it stays at about -150 degrees Celsius.

If the station is located under the influence of direct sunlight, then the temperature overboard is +150 degrees Celsius.

Temperature inside the station

Despite fluctuations overboard, the average temperature inside the ship is 23 - 27 degrees Celsius and completely suitable for human habitation.

Astronauts sleep, eat, play sports, work and rest at the end of the working day - the conditions are close to the most comfortable for being on the ISS.

What do astronauts on the ISS breathe?

The primary task in creating the ship was to provide the astronauts with the conditions necessary to maintain full breathing. Oxygen is obtained from water.

A special system called "Air" takes carbon dioxide and throws it overboard. Oxygen is replenished by electrolysis of water. The station also has oxygen tanks.

How long is the flight from the spaceport to the ISS

In terms of flight time, it takes a little more than 2 days. There is also a short 6-hour scheme (but it is not suitable for cargo ships).

The distance from Earth to the ISS is between 413 and 429 kilometers.

Life on the ISS - what astronauts do

Each crew conducts scientific experiments commissioned by the research institutes of their country.

There are several types of such studies:

• educational;
• technical;
• environmental;
• biotechnology;
• biomedical;
• study of living and working conditions in orbit;
• exploration of space and planet Earth;
• physical and chemical processes in space;
• exploration of the solar system and others.

Who is on the ISS now

At the moment, the composition continues to keep watch in orbit: Russian cosmonaut Sergei Prokopiev, Serena Auñón-Chancellor from the USA and Alexander Gerst from Germany.

The next launch was scheduled from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on October 11, but due to an accident, the flight did not take place. At the moment, it is not yet known which of the astronauts will fly to the ISS and when.

How to get in touch with the ISS

In fact, anyone has a chance to contact the international space station. This will require special equipment:

• transceiver;
• antenna (for the frequency range of 145 MHz);
• rotary device;
• a computer that will calculate the orbit of the ISS.

Today, every astronaut has high-speed Internet. Most specialists contact friends and family via Skype, maintain personal pages on Instagram and Twitter, Facebook, where they post stunningly beautiful photos of our green planet.

How many times does the ISS circle the Earth in a day

The speed of rotation of the ship around our planet - 16 times a day. This means that in one day the astronauts can meet the sunrise 16 times and watch the sunset 16 times.

The rotation speed of the ISS is 27,700 km/h. This speed does not allow the station to fall to Earth.

Where is the ISS at the moment and how to see it from Earth

Many are interested in the question: is it possible to see the ship with the naked eye? Thanks to its constant orbit and large size, anyone can see the ISS.

You can see the ship in the sky both day and night, but it is recommended to do it at night.

In order to find out the time of flight over your city, you need to subscribe to the NASA newsletter. You can monitor the movement of the station in real time thanks to the special Twisst service.

Conclusion

If you see a bright object in the sky, it is not always a meteorite, comet or star. Knowing how to distinguish the ISS with the naked eye, you definitely can't go wrong with a celestial body.

You can learn more about the ISS news, see the movement of the object on the official website: http://mks-online.ru.

The International Space Station ISS is the embodiment of the most grandiose and progressive technological achievement on a cosmic scale on our planet. This is a huge space research laboratory for studying, conducting experiments, observing both the surface of our planet Earth, and for astronomical observations of deep space without the influence of the earth's atmosphere. At the same time, it is both a home for cosmonauts and astronauts working on it, where they live and work, and a port for mooring space cargo and transport ships. Raising his head and looking up at the sky, a person saw the endless expanses of space and always dreamed, if not to conquer, then to learn as much as possible about him and comprehend all his secrets. The flight of the first cosmonaut into the earth's orbit and the launch of satellites gave a powerful impetus to the development of astronautics and further space flights. But just a human flight into near space is no longer enough. Eyes are directed further, to other planets, and in order to achieve this, much more needs to be explored, learned and understood. And the most important thing for long-term human space flights is the need to establish the nature and consequences of the long-term effect on health of long-term weightlessness during flights, the possibility of life support for a long stay on spacecraft and the elimination of all negative factors affecting the health and life of people, both in the near and far outer space, detection of dangerous collisions of spacecraft with other space objects and provision of security measures.

To this end, they began to build at first simply long-term manned orbital stations of the Salyut series, then a more advanced one, with a complex MIR modular architecture. Such stations could be constantly in Earth's orbit and receive cosmonauts and astronauts delivered by spacecraft. But, having achieved certain results in the study of space, thanks to space stations, time inexorably demanded further, more and more improved methods of studying space and the possibility of human life during flights in it. The construction of a new space station required huge, even greater capital investments than previous ones, and it was already economically difficult for one country to move space science and technology. It should be noted that the former USSR (now the Russian Federation) and the United States of America held the leading positions in space technology achievements at the level of orbital stations. Despite the contradictions in political views, these two powers understood the need for cooperation in space matters, and in particular, in the construction of a new orbital station, especially since the previous experience of joint cooperation during the flights of American astronauts to the Russian space station "Mir" gave its tangible positive results. . Therefore, since 1993, representatives of the Russian Federation and the United States have been negotiating the joint design, construction and operation of a new International Space Station. The planned "Detailed work plan for the ISS" was signed.

In 1995 in Houston, the main draft design of the station was approved. The adopted project of the modular architecture of the orbital station makes it possible to carry out its phased construction in space, attaching more and more sections of modules to the main already operating module, making its construction more accessible, easy and flexible, makes it possible to change the architecture in connection with the emerging need and capabilities of countries -participants.

The basic configuration of the station was approved and signed in 1996. It consisted of two main segments: Russian and American. Also participating, hosting their scientific space equipment and conducting research are countries such as Japan, Canada and the countries of the European Space Union.

01/28/1998 in Washington, a final agreement was signed on the start of construction of a new long-term, modular architecture International Space Station, and on November 2 of the same year, the first multifunctional module of the ISS was launched into orbit by a Russian rocket carrier. Dawn».

(FGB- functional cargo block) - launched into orbit by the Proton-K rocket on 11/02/1998. From the moment the Zarya module was launched into a near-Earth orbit, the direct construction of the ISS began, i.e. assembly of the entire station begins. At the very beginning of construction, this module was needed as a base module for supplying electricity, maintaining the temperature regime, for establishing communications and attitude control in orbit, and as a docking module for other modules and spacecraft. It is fundamental for further construction. Currently, Zarya is used mainly as a warehouse, and its engines correct the altitude of the station's orbit.

The ISS Zarya module consists of two main compartments: a large instrument-cargo compartment and a sealed adapter, separated by a partition with a hatch 0.8 m in diameter. for a pass. One part is airtight and contains an instrument-cargo compartment with a volume of 64.5 cubic meters, which, in turn, is divided into an instrument room with blocks of on-board systems and a living area for work. These zones are separated by an interior partition. The sealed adapter compartment is equipped with on-board systems for mechanical docking with other modules.

There are three docking gateways on the block: active and passive at the ends and one on the side, for connection with other modules. There are also antennas for communication, fuel tanks, solar panels that generate energy, and ground orientation devices. It has 24 large engines, 12 small ones, and 2 engines for maneuvering and maintaining the desired height. This module can independently perform unmanned flights in space.

Module ISS "Unity" (NODE 1 - connecting)

The Unity module is the first American connecting module, which was launched into orbit on December 4, 1998 by the Space Shuttle Endeavor and docked with Zarya on December 1, 1998. This module has 6 docking locks for further connection of the ISS modules and mooring of spacecraft. It is a corridor between the other modules and their living and working premises and a place for communications: gas and water pipelines, various communication systems, electrical cables, data transmission and other life-supporting communications.

ISS Zvezda Module (SM - service module)

The Zvezda module is a Russian module launched into orbit by the Proton spacecraft on 07/12/2000 and docked on 07/26/2000 to Zarya. Thanks to this module, already in July 2000, the ISS was able to receive the first space crew consisting of Sergei Krikalov, Yuri Gidzenko and the American William Shepard on board.

The block itself consists of 4 compartments: a hermetic transitional, a hermetic working, a hermetic intermediate chamber and a non-hermetic aggregate. The transition compartment with four windows serves as a corridor for the astronauts to pass from different modules and compartments and to exit the station into outer space thanks to the airlock installed here with a pressure relief valve. Docking units are attached to the outer part of the compartment: this is one axial and two lateral. The Zvezda axial node is connected to the Zarya, and the upper and lower axial nodes are connected to other modules. Also, brackets and handrails, new sets of antennas of the Kurs-NA system, docking targets, TV cameras, a refueling unit and other units are installed on the outer surface of the compartment.

The working compartment with a total length of 7.7 m, has 8 portholes and consists of two cylinders of different diameters, equipped with carefully provided means for ensuring work and life. The cylinder of larger diameter contains a living area with a volume of 35.1 cubic meters. meters. There are two cabins, a sanitary compartment, a kitchen with a refrigerator and a table for fixing objects, medical equipment and exercise equipment.

The smaller diameter cylinder houses the working area, which houses the instruments, equipment and the main station control post. There are also control systems, emergency and warning manual control panels.

Intermediate chamber 7.0 cu. meters with two windows serves as a transition between the service block and spacecraft that dock to the stern. The docking port ensures the docking of the Russian spacecraft Soyuz TM, Soyuz TMA, Progress M, Progress M2, as well as the European automatic spacecraft ATV.

In the aggregate compartment of the "Zvezda" at the stern there are two corrective engines, and on the side there are four blocks of orientation engines. From the outside, sensors and antennas are fixed. As you can see, the Zvezda module has taken over some of the functions of the Zarya block.

Module ISS "Destiny" in the translation "Destiny" (LAB - laboratory)

Destiny Module - On 02/08/2001 the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched into orbit, and on 02/10/2002 the American science module Destiny was docked to the ISS to the forward docking port of the Unity module. Astronaut Marsha Ivin took out the module from the Atlantis spacecraft with the help of a 15-meter "arm", although the gaps between the ship and the module were only five centimeters. It was the space station's first laboratory and, at one time, its think tank and largest habitable unit. The module was manufactured by the well-known American company Boeing. It consists of three connected cylinders. The ends of the module are made in the form of truncated cones with airtight hatches that serve as entrances for the astronauts. The module itself is intended mainly for scientific research in medicine, materials science, biotechnology, physics, astronomy and many other fields of science. For this, there are 23 units equipped with instruments. They are located six pieces on the sides, six on the ceiling and five blocks on the floor. The supports have routes for pipelines and cables, they connect different racks. The module also has such systems for life support: power supply, a system of sensors for monitoring humidity, temperature and air quality. Thanks to this module and the equipment located in it, it became possible to conduct unique research in space on board the ISS in various fields of science.

ISS module "Quest" (А/L - universal lock chamber)

The Quest module was launched into orbit by the Atlantis shuttle on July 12, 2001 and docked to the Unity module on July 15, 2001 at the right docking port using the Canadarm 2 manipulator. This block is primarily designed to provide spacewalks in both Russian-made Orland spacesuits with an oxygen pressure of 0.4 atm, and in American EMU spacesuits with a pressure of 0.3 atm. The fact is that before that, representatives of space crews could use Russian spacesuits only to exit the Zarya block and American ones when leaving through the Shuttle. Reduced pressure in the spacesuits is used to make the suits more elastic, which creates significant comfort when moving.

The ISS Quest module consists of two rooms. These are the crew quarters and the equipment room. Crew accommodation with a pressurized volume of 4.25 cubic meters. designed for spacewalks with hatches provided with convenient handrails, lighting, and connectors for supplying oxygen, water, depressurization devices before exiting, etc.

The equipment room is much larger in volume and its size is 29.75 cubic meters. m. It is intended for the necessary equipment for putting on and taking off space suits, their storage and denitrogenation of the blood of station employees going into space.

ISS module Pirs (SO1 - docking compartment)

The Pirs module was launched into orbit on September 15, 2001 and docked with the Zarya module on September 17, 2001. Pirs was launched into space for docking with the ISS as an integral part of the Progress M-C01 specialized truck. Basically, Pirs plays the role of an airlock for two people to go into outer space in Russian spacesuits of the Orlan-M type. The second purpose of Pirs is additional mooring places for spacecraft of such types as Soyuz TM and Progress M trucks. The third purpose of the Pirs is to refuel the tanks of the Russian segments of the ISS with fuel, oxidizer and other fuel components. The dimensions of this module are relatively small: the length with docking units is 4.91 m, the diameter is 2.55 m, and the volume of the sealed compartment is 13 cubic meters. m. In the center, on opposite sides of the sealed hull with two circular frames, there are 2 identical hatches with a diameter of 1.0 m with small portholes. This makes it possible to enter space from different sides, depending on the need. Convenient handrails are provided inside and outside the hatches. Inside there is also equipment, lock control panels, communications, power supply, pipeline routes for fuel transit. Communication antennas, antenna protection screens, and a fuel transfer unit are installed outside.

There are two docking nodes located along the axis: active and passive. The Pirs active node is docked with the Zarya module, and the passive one on the opposite side is used for mooring spaceships.

MKS module "Harmony", "Harmony" (Node 2 - connecting)

Module "Harmony" - launched into orbit on October 23, 2007 by the Discovery shuttle from Cape Canavery launch pad 39 and docked on October 26, 2007 with the ISS. "Harmony" was made in Italy by order of NASA. The docking of the module with the ISS itself was phased: first, astronauts of the 16th crew, Tanya and Wilson, temporarily docked the module with the Unity ISS module on the left using the Canadarm-2 Canadian manipulator, and after the shuttle departed and the RMA-2 adapter was reinstalled, the module was again was detached from the Unity and relocated to its permanent location at the forward docking port of the Destiny. The final installation of "Harmony" was completed on 11/14/2007.

The module has basic dimensions: length 7.3 m, diameter 4.4 m, its sealed volume is 75 cubic meters. m. The most important feature of the module is 6 docking stations for further connections with other modules and the construction of the ISS. The nodes are located along the axis of the front and rear, nadir below, anti-aircraft above and lateral left and right. It should be noted that due to the additional pressurized volume created in the module, three additional berths for the crew, equipped with all life support systems, were created.

The main purpose of the Harmony module is the role of a connecting node for further expansion of the International Space Station and, in particular, for creating attachment points and attaching to it the European Columbus and Japanese Kibo space laboratories.

ISS module "Columbus", "Columbus" (COL)

The Columbus module is the first European module launched into orbit by the Atlantis shuttle on 02/07/2008. and installed on the right connecting node of the Harmony module 12.02008. Columbus was commissioned by the European Space Agency in Italy, whose space agency has extensive experience building pressurized modules for the space station.

"Columbus" is a cylinder with a length of 6.9 m and a diameter of 4.5 m, where the laboratory with a volume of 80 cubic meters is located. meters with 10 jobs. Each workplace is a rack with cells where devices and equipment for certain studies are placed. The racks are equipped with a separate power supply, computers with the necessary software, communications, an air conditioning system and all the devices necessary for research. At each workplace, a group of studies and experiments are conducted in a certain direction. For example, the Biolab workstation is equipped to conduct experiments in space biotechnology, cell biology, developmental biology, skeletal disease, neuroscience, and human preparation for long-term interplanetary life-support missions. There is an installation for diagnosing protein crystallization and others. In addition to 10 racks with workplaces in the pressurized compartment, there are four more places equipped for scientific space research on the outer open side of the module in space under vacuum conditions. This allows us to conduct experiments on the state of bacteria in very extreme conditions, to understand the possibility of the emergence of life on other planets, and to conduct astronomical observations. Thanks to the complex of solar instruments SOLAR, solar activity and the degree of the impact of the Sun on our Earth are monitored, and solar radiation is monitored. The Diarad radiometer, along with other space radiometers, measures solar activity. The SOLSPEC spectrometer is used to study the solar spectrum and its light through the Earth's atmosphere. The uniqueness of the studies lies in the fact that they can be carried out simultaneously on the ISS and on Earth, immediately comparing the results. Columbus enables videoconferencing and high-speed data exchange. The module is monitored and coordinated by the European Space Agency from the Center located in the city of Oberpfaffenhofen, located 60 km from Munich.

ISS module "Kibo" Japanese, translated as "Hope" (JEM-Japanese Experiment Module)

The Kibo module was launched into orbit by the Endeavor shuttle, first with only one of its parts on March 11, 2008, and docked with the ISS on March 14, 2008. Despite the fact that Japan has its own spaceport at Tanegashima, due to the lack of delivery ships, Kibo was launched in parts from the American spaceport at Cape Canaveral. Overall, Kibo is the largest laboratory module on the ISS to date. It is developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and consists of four main parts: the PM Science Laboratory, the Experimental Cargo Module (it, in turn, has an ELM-PS pressurized part and an ELM-ES non-pressurized part), a JEMRMS remote manipulator and an EF external non-pressurized platform.

"Sealed Compartment" or Science Laboratory of the "Kibo" module JEM PM- delivered and docked on July 2, 2008 by the Discovery shuttle - this is one of the compartments of the Kibo module, in the form of a sealed cylindrical structure 11.2 m * 4.4 m in size with 10 universal racks adapted for scientific instruments . Five racks belong to America in payment for delivery, but any astronauts or cosmonauts can conduct scientific experiments at the request of any countries. Climate parameters: temperature and humidity, air composition and pressure correspond to terrestrial conditions, which makes it possible to work comfortably in ordinary, familiar clothes and conduct experiments without special conditions. Here, in a sealed compartment of the scientific laboratory, not only experiments are carried out, but also control over the entire laboratory complex, especially over the devices of the External Experimental Platform, is established.

"Experimental Cargo Bay" ELM- one of the compartments of the Kibo module has a hermetic part ELM - PS and an unpressurized part ELM - ES. Its hermetic part is docked with the upper hatch of the PM laboratory module and has the shape of a 4.2 m cylinder with a diameter of 4.4 m. The inhabitants of the station freely pass here from the laboratory, since the climate conditions are the same here. The sealed part is mainly used as an addition to the sealed laboratory and is designed to store equipment, tools, and experimental results. There are 8 universal racks that can be used for experiments if necessary. Initially, on March 14, 2008, the ELM-PS was docked with the Harmony module, and on June 6, 2008, the astronauts of Expedition No. 17 reinstalled it in a permanent place on the pressurized compartment of the laboratory.

The non-pressurized part is the outer section of the cargo module and at the same time a component of the "External Experimental Platform", as it is attached to its end. Its dimensions are: length 4.2 m, width 4.9 m and height 2.2 m. The purpose of this site is to store equipment, experimental results, samples and their transportation. This part, with the results of experiments and used equipment, can be undocked, if necessary, from the unpressurized Kibo platform and delivered to Earth.

"External Experimental Platform» JEM EF or, as it is also called, "Terrace" - delivered to the ISS on March 12, 2009. and is located immediately behind the laboratory module, representing the non-pressurized part of the "Kibo", with the dimensions of the site: 5.6 m long, 5.0 m wide and 4.0 m high. Various numerous experiments are carried out here directly in the conditions of open space in different areas of science to study the external influences of space. The platform is located just behind the pressurized laboratory compartment and is connected to it by an airtight hatch. The manipulator located at the end of the laboratory module can install the necessary equipment for experiments and remove unnecessary equipment from the experimental platform. The platform has 10 experimental compartments, it is well lit and there are video cameras that record everything that happens.

remote manipulator(JEM RMS) - a manipulator or mechanical arm, which is mounted in the forward part of the pressurized compartment of the scientific laboratory and serves to move cargo between the experimental cargo compartment and the external non-pressurized platform. In general, the arm consists of two parts, a large ten-meter for heavy loads and a removable small length of 2.2 meters for more precise work. Both types of hands have 6 rotating joints to perform various movements. The main arm was delivered in June 2008 and the second in July 2009.

The entire operation of this Japanese Kibo module is supervised by the Control Center in the city of Tsukuba north of Tokyo. Scientific experiments and research carried out in the laboratory "Kibo" significantly expand the scope of scientific activities in space. The modular principle of building the laboratory itself and a large number of universal racks provide ample opportunities for building a variety of studies.

Racks for bioexperiments are equipped with ovens with the necessary temperature conditions, which makes it possible to do experiments on growing various crystals, including biological ones. There are also incubators, aquariums and sterile rooms for animals, fish, amphibians and cultivation of various plant cells and organisms. The impact on them of various levels of radiation is being studied. The laboratory is equipped with dosimeters and other state-of-the-art instruments.

ISS Poisk module (MIM2 small research module)

The Poisk module is a Russian module launched into orbit from the Baikonur cosmodrome by the Soyuz-U rocket carrier, delivered by a specially modernized cargo ship the Progress M-MIM2 module on November 10, 2009 and was docked to the upper anti-aircraft docking node of the Zvezda module two days later, on November 12, 2009, the docking was carried out only by means of the Russian manipulator, abandoning Kanadarm2, since financial issues with the Americans were not resolved. The Poisk was developed and built in Russia by RSC Energia on the basis of the previous Pirs module, with all the shortcomings and significant improvements corrected. "Search" has a cylindrical shape with dimensions: 4.04m long and 2.5m in diameter. It has two docking nodes, active and passive located along the longitudinal axis, and on the left and right sides there are two hatches with small portholes and handrails for spacewalks. In general, it is almost like Pierce, but more advanced. In its space there are two workplaces for conducting scientific tests, there are mechanical adapters with which the necessary equipment is installed. Inside the containment compartment, a volume of 0.2 cubic meters is allocated. m. for devices, and on the outside of the module a universal workplace has been created.

In general, this multifunctional module is intended: for additional docking sites with the Soyuz and Progress spacecraft, for providing additional spacewalks, for placing scientific equipment and conducting scientific tests inside and outside the module, for refueling from transport ships and, ultimately, this module should take over the functions of the Zvezda service module.

Module ISS "Transquility" or "Calm" (NODE3)

The Transquility module, an American connecting residential module, was launched into orbit on February 8, 2010 from the launch pad LC-39 (Kennedy Space Center) by the Endeavor shuttle and docked with the ISS on August 10, 2010 to the Unity module. "Tranquility" commissioned by NASA was made in Italy. The module was named after the Sea of ​​Tranquility on the Moon, where the first astronaut landed from Apollo 11. With the advent of this module on the ISS, life has really become calmer and much more comfortable. Firstly, an internal useful volume of 74 cubic meters was added, the length of the module is 6.7 m with a diameter of 4.4 m. The dimensions of the module made it possible to create in it the most modern life support system, from the toilet to the provision and control of the highest rates of inhaled air. There are 16 racks with various equipment for air circulation systems, purification, removal of contaminants from it, systems for processing liquid waste into water, and other systems to create a comfortable environmental environment for life on the ISS. Everything is provided on the module to the smallest detail, simulators, various holders for objects, all conditions for work, training and rest are installed. In addition to the high life support system, the design provides for 6 docking nodes: two axial and 4 lateral for docking with spacecraft and improving the ability to reinstall modules in various combinations. The Dome module is attached to one of the Tranquility docking stations for a wide panoramic view.

ISS module "Dome" (cupola)

The Dome module was delivered to the ISS together with the Tranquility module and, as mentioned above, docked with its lower connecting node. This is the smallest module of the ISS with a height of 1.5 m and a diameter of 2 m. But there are 7 windows that allow you to monitor both work on the ISS and the Earth. Here, workplaces are equipped for monitoring and controlling the Kanadarm-2 manipulator, as well as control systems for station modes. Portholes made of 10 cm quartz glass are located in the form of a dome: in the center there is a large round one with a diameter of 80 cm and around it there are 6 trapezoidal ones. This place is also a favorite vacation spot.

ISS Rassvet Module (MIM 1)

The Rassvet module - on May 14, 2010 was launched into orbit and delivered by the American shuttle Atlantis and docked with the ISS with the Zari nadir docking port on May 18, 2011. This is the first Russian module that was delivered to the ISS not by a Russian spacecraft, but by an American one. The docking of the module was carried out by American astronauts Garret Reisman and Piers Sellers for three hours. The module itself, like the previous modules of the Russian segment of the ISS, was manufactured in Russia by the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation. The module is very similar to the previous Russian modules, but with significant improvements. It has five workplaces: a glove box, low-temperature and high-temperature biothermostats, a vibration protection platform, and a universal workplace with the necessary equipment for scientific and applied research. The module has dimensions of 6.0m by 2.2m and is intended, in addition to carrying out research work in the fields of biotechnology and materials science, for additional storage of cargo, for the possibility of using it as a port for mooring spacecraft and for additional refueling of the station with fuel. As part of the Rassvet module, another lock chamber, an additional radiator-heat exchanger, a portable workplace and a spare element of the ERA robotic arm for the future Russian scientific laboratory module were sent.

Multifunctional module "Leonardo" (PMM-permanent multipurpose module)

The Leonardo module was launched into orbit and delivered by the Discovery shuttle on May 24, 2010 and docked to the ISS on March 1, 2011. This module used to refer to the three multi-purpose logistics modules "Leonardo", "Raffaello" and "Donatello" made in Italy to deliver the necessary cargo to the ISS. They carried cargo and were delivered by the Discovery and Atlantis shuttles, docking with the Unity module. But the Leonardo module was re-equipped with the installation of life support systems, power supply, thermal control, fire extinguishing, data transmission and processing, and, starting from March 2011, began to be part of the ISS as a baggage sealed multifunctional module for permanent placement of cargo. The module has dimensions of a cylindrical part of 4.8m by a diameter of 4.57ms with an internal living volume of 30.1 cubic meters. meters and serves as a good additional volume for the American segment of the ISS.

ISS Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM)

The BEAM module is an American experimental inflatable module developed by Bigelow Aerospace. CEO Robber Bigelow is a hotel system billionaire and a space aficionado at the same time. The company is engaged in space tourism. Robber Bigelow's dream is a system of hotels in space, on the Moon and Mars. Creating an inflatable housing and hotel complex in space turned out to be an excellent idea that has a number of advantages over modules made of iron heavy rigid structures. Inflatable modules of the BEAM type are much lighter, small in size during transportation and much more economical in financial terms. NASA appreciated this idea of ​​the company and in December 2012 signed a contract with the company for 17.8 million to create an inflatable module for the ISS, and in 2013 a contract was signed with Sierra Nevada Corporatio to create a docking mechanism for Beam and the ISS. In 2015, the BEAM module was built and on April 16, 2016, the Dragon spacecraft of the private company SpaceX delivered it to the ISS in its container in the cargo hold, where it was successfully docked behind the Tranquility module. On the ISS, the cosmonauts deployed the module, inflated it with air, checked it for leaks, and on June 6, American ISS astronaut Jeffrey Williams and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka entered it and installed all the necessary equipment there. The BEAM module on the ISS, when deployed, is an interior without windows up to 16 cubic meters in size. Its dimensions are 5.2 meters in diameter and 6.5 meters in length. Weight 1360 kg. The module body consists of 8 air tanks made of metal bulkheads, an aluminum folding structure and several layers of strong elastic fabric located at a certain distance from each other. Inside the module, as mentioned above, was equipped with the necessary research equipment. The pressure is set the same as on the ISS. It is planned that BEAM will stay on the space station for 2 years and will be mostly closed, astronauts should visit it only to check for tightness and its overall structural integrity in space conditions only 4 times a year. In 2 years, I plan to undock the BEAM module from the ISS, after which it will burn up in the outer layers of the atmosphere. The main task of the presence of the BEAM module on the ISS is to test its design for strength, tightness and operation in harsh space conditions. For 2 years, it is planned to test for protection in it from radiation and other types of cosmic radiation, resistance to small space debris. Since in the future it is planned to use inflatable modules for cosmonauts to live in them, the results of the conditions for maintaining comfortable conditions (temperature, pressure, air, tightness) will give an answer to the questions of further development and structure of such modules. At the moment, Bigelow Aerospace is already developing the next version of a similar, but already habitable, inflatable module with windows and a much larger volume "B-330", which can be used on the Lunar Space Station and on Mars.

Today, any person from Earth can look at the ISS in the night sky with the naked eye, as a luminous moving star moving at an angular velocity of about 4 degrees per minute. Its greatest magnitude is observed from 0m to -04m. The ISS moves around the Earth and at the same time makes one revolution in 90 minutes or 16 revolutions per day. The height of the ISS above the Earth is approximately 410-430 km, but due to friction in the remnants of the atmosphere, due to the influence of the forces of gravity of the Earth, in order to avoid a dangerous collision with space debris and for successful docking with delivery ships, the height of the ISS is constantly being adjusted. Altitude adjustment is carried out using the engines of the Zarya module. The original planned life of the station was 15 years, and has now been extended until approximately 2020.

Based on materials from http://www.mcc.rsa.ru

It was launched into outer space in 1998. At the moment, for almost seven thousand days, day and night, the best minds of mankind have been working on solving the most complex mysteries in weightlessness.

Space

Every person who at least once saw this unique object asked a logical question: what is the height of the orbit of the international space station? It's just impossible to answer it in one word. The orbit altitude of the International Space Station ISS depends on many factors. Let's consider them in more detail.

The ISS orbit around the Earth is decreasing due to the impact of the rarefied atmosphere. The speed decreases, respectively, and the height decreases. How to go up again? The altitude of the orbit can be changed by the engines of the ships that dock to it.

Various Heights

Over the entire duration of the space mission, several major values ​​have been recorded. Back in February 2011, the height of the ISS orbit was 353 km. All calculations are made in relation to sea level. The height of the ISS orbit in June of the same year increased to three hundred and seventy-five kilometers. But this was far from the limit. Just two weeks later, NASA employees were happy to answer the question "What is the height of the ISS orbit at the moment?" - three hundred and eighty-five kilometers!

And this is not the limit

The height of the ISS orbit was still insufficient to resist natural friction. Engineers took a responsible and very risky step. The height of the ISS orbit was to be increased to four hundred kilometers. But this event happened a little later. The problem was that only ships were lifting the ISS. The orbit height was limited for the shuttles. Only over time, the restriction was abolished for the crew and the ISS. The altitude of the orbit since 2014 has exceeded 400 kilometers above sea level. The maximum average value was recorded in July and amounted to 417 km. In general, altitude adjustments are made constantly to fix the most optimal route.

History of creation

Back in 1984, the US government was hatching plans to launch a large-scale scientific project in the nearest space. It was quite difficult even for the Americans to carry out such a grandiose construction alone, and Canada and Japan were involved in the development.

In 1992, Russia was included in the campaign. In the early nineties, a large-scale Mir-2 project was planned in Moscow. But economic problems prevented grandiose plans from being realized. Gradually, the number of participating countries grew to fourteen.

Bureaucratic delays took more than three years. Only in 1995 was the sketch of the station adopted, and a year later - the configuration.

November 20, 1998 was an outstanding day in the history of world cosmonautics - the first block was successfully delivered into the orbit of our planet.

Assembly

The ISS is ingenious in its simplicity and functionality. The station consists of independent blocks, which are interconnected like a large constructor. It is impossible to calculate the exact cost of the object. Each new block is made in a different country and, of course, varies in price. In total, a huge number of such parts can be attached, so the station can be constantly updated.

Validity

Due to the fact that the station blocks and their content can be changed and upgraded an unlimited number of times, the ISS can surf the expanses of near-Earth orbit for a long time.

The first alarm bell rang in 2011, when the space shuttle program was canceled due to its high cost.

But nothing terrible happened. Cargoes were regularly delivered into space by other ships. In 2012, a private commercial shuttle even successfully docked to the ISS. Subsequently, a similar event occurred repeatedly.

Threats to the station can only be political. From time to time, officials from different countries threaten to stop supporting the ISS. At first, maintenance plans were scheduled until 2015, then until 2020. To date, there is tentatively an agreement to maintain the station until 2027.

In the meantime, politicians are arguing among themselves, the ISS in 2016 made a hundred thousandth orbit around the planet, which was originally called the "Jubilee".

Electricity

Sitting in the dark is, of course, interesting, but sometimes annoying. On the ISS, every minute is worth its weight in gold, so the engineers were deeply puzzled by the need to provide the crew with uninterrupted electrics.

Many different ideas were proposed, and in the end they agreed that nothing could be better than solar panels in space.

When implementing the project, the Russian and American sides took different paths. Thus, the generation of electricity in the first country is produced for a system of 28 volts. The voltage in the American block is 124 V.

During the day, the ISS makes many orbits around the Earth. One revolution is about an hour and a half, forty-five minutes of which pass in the shade. Of course, at this time, generation from solar panels is impossible. The station is powered by nickel-hydrogen batteries. The service life of such a device is about seven years. The last time they were changed back in 2009, so the long-awaited replacement will be carried out by engineers very soon.

Device

As previously written, the ISS is a huge constructor, the parts of which are easily interconnected.

As of March 2017, the station has fourteen elements. Russia has supplied five blocks named Zarya, Poisk, Zvezda, Rassvet and Pirs. The Americans gave their seven parts the following names: "Unity", "Destiny", "Tranquility", "Quest", "Leonardo", "Domes" and "Harmony". The countries of the European Union and Japan so far have one block each: Columbus and Kibo.

Parts are constantly changing depending on the tasks assigned to the crew. Several more blocks are on the way, which will significantly enhance the research capabilities of the crew members. The most interesting, of course, are the laboratory modules. Some of them are completely sealed. Thus, absolutely everything can be explored in them, up to alien living beings, without the risk of infection for the crew.

Other blocks are designed to generate the necessary environments for normal human life. Still others allow you to freely go into space and make research, observations or repairs.

Some of the blocks do not carry a research load and are used as storage facilities.

Ongoing research

Numerous studies - in fact, for the sake of which, in the distant nineties, politicians decided to send a designer into space, the cost of which today is estimated at more than two hundred billion dollars. For this money, you can buy a dozen countries and get a small sea as a gift.

So, the ISS has such unique capabilities that no other terrestrial laboratory has. The first is the presence of an infinite vacuum. The second is the actual absence of gravity. Third - the most dangerous not spoiled by refraction in the earth's atmosphere.

Don't feed researchers with bread, but let them study something! They happily carry out the duties assigned to them, even despite the mortal risk.

Most scientists are interested in biology. This area includes biotechnology and medical research.

Other scientists often forget about sleep when exploring the physical forces of extraterrestrial space. Materials, quantum physics - only part of the research. According to the revelations of many, a favorite pastime is to test various liquids in zero gravity.

Experiments with vacuum, in general, can be carried out outside the blocks, right in outer space. Earthly scientists can only envy in a good way, watching the experiments via video link.

Any person on Earth would give anything for one spacewalk. For the workers of the station, this is practically a routine task.

findings

Despite the dissatisfied exclamations of many skeptics about the futility of the project, ISS scientists made many interesting discoveries that allowed us to look differently at space as a whole and at our planet.

Every day, these brave people receive a huge dose of radiation, and all for the sake of scientific research that will give humanity unprecedented opportunities. One can only admire their efficiency, courage and purposefulness.

The ISS is a fairly large object that can be seen from the surface of the Earth. There is even a whole site where you can enter the coordinates of your city and the system will tell you exactly what time you can try to see the station, being in a sun lounger right on your balcony.

Of course, the space station has many opponents, but there are many more fans. And this means that the ISS will confidently stay in its orbit of four hundred kilometers above sea level and will show inveterate skeptics more than once how wrong they were in their forecasts and predictions.

The boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space runs along the Karman line, at an altitude of 100 km above sea level.

Space is just around the corner, you know?

So the atmosphere. The ocean of air that splashes over our heads, and we live at its very bottom. In other words, the gaseous shell, rotating with the Earth, is our cradle and protection from destructive ultraviolet radiation. Here's what it looks like schematically:

Scheme of the structure of the atmosphere

Troposphere. It extends to a height of 6-10 km in the polar latitudes, and 16-20 km in the tropics. In winter the border is lower than in summer. The temperature drops by 0.65°C with altitude every 100 meters. The troposphere contains 80% of the total mass of atmospheric air. Here, at an altitude of 9-12 km, passenger aircraft. The troposphere is separated from the stratosphere by the ozone layer, which serves as a shield that protects the Earth from damaging ultraviolet radiation (absorbs 98% of UV rays). There is no life beyond the ozone layer.

Stratosphere. From the ozone layer to a height of 50 km. The temperature continues to fall and, at an altitude of 40 km, reaches 0°C. For the next 15 km, the temperature does not change (stratopause). Here they can fly weather balloons and *.

Mesosphere. It extends to a height of 80-90 km. The temperature drops to -70°C. Burn up in the mesosphere meteors, leaving a glowing trail in the night sky for a few seconds. The mesosphere is too rarefied for airplanes, but, at the same time, too dense for flights of artificial satellites. Of all the layers of the atmosphere, it is the most inaccessible and poorly understood, which is why it is called the “dead zone”. At an altitude of 100 km, the Karman line passes, beyond which open space begins. This is where aviation officially ends and astronautics begins. By the way, the Karman Line is legally considered the upper limit of the countries below.

Thermosphere. Leaving behind the conventionally drawn Karman line, we go out into space. The air becomes even more rarefied, so flights here are possible only along ballistic trajectories. The temperature ranges from -70 to 1500°C, solar radiation and cosmic rays ionize the air. At the north and south poles of the planet, solar wind particles entering this layer cause , visible at low latitudes of the Earth. Here, at an altitude of 150-500 km, our satellites and spaceships, and a little higher (550 km above the Earth) - beautiful and inimitable (by the way, people climbed to it five times, because the telescope periodically required repair and maintenance).

The thermosphere extends to a height of 690 km, then the exosphere begins.

Exosphere. This is the outer, diffuse part of the thermosphere. Consists of gas ions flying into outer space, tk. Earth's gravity no longer acts on them. The planet's exosphere is also called the "crown". The “crown” of the Earth has a height of up to 200,000 km, which is about half the distance from the Earth to the Moon. They can only fly in the exosphere unmanned satellites.

* Stratostat - a balloon for flights into the stratosphere. The record altitude of a stratospheric balloon with a crew on board today is 19 km. The flight of the stratospheric balloon "USSR" with a crew of 3 people took place on September 30, 1933.

Stratospheric balloon

**Perigee - the closest point to the Earth in the orbit of a celestial body (natural or artificial satellite)
***Apogee - the point of the orbit of a celestial body that is farthest from the Earth

Most space flights are performed not in circular, but in elliptical orbits, the height of which varies depending on the location above the Earth. The height of the so-called "low reference" orbit, from which most spacecraft "push off", is approximately 200 kilometers above sea level. To be precise, the perigee of such an orbit is 193 kilometers, and the apogee is 220 kilometers. However, in the reference orbit there is a large amount of debris left over half a century of space exploration, so modern spacecraft, turning on their engines, move to a higher orbit. For example, the International Space Station ( ISS) in 2017 rotated at a height of about 417 kilometers, that is, twice as high as the reference orbit.

The height of the orbit of most spacecraft depends on the mass of the spacecraft, its launch site, and the power of its engines. For astronauts, it varies from 150 to 500 kilometers. For example, Yuri Gagarin flew in an orbit with a perigee of 175 km and apogee at 320 km. The second Soviet cosmonaut German Titov flew in an orbit with a perigee of 183 km and an apogee of 244 km. American "shuttles" flew in orbits height from 400 to 500 kilometers. Approximately the same height and all modern ships delivering people and cargo to the ISS.

Unlike manned spacecraft that need to return astronauts to Earth, artificial satellites fly in much higher orbits. The orbital altitude of a satellite in geostationary orbit can be calculated from data on the mass and diameter of the Earth. As a result of simple physical calculations, it can be found that geostationary orbit altitude, that is, one in which the satellite "hangs" over one point on the surface of the earth, is equal to 35,786 kilometers. This is a very large distance from the Earth, so the signal exchange time with such a satellite can reach 0.5 seconds, which makes it unsuitable, for example, for servicing online games.

Today is March 18, 2019. Do you know what holiday is today?

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