The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low Earth orbit. Its first component launched into orbit in 1998, and the ISS is now the largest artificial body in orbit and can often be seen with the naked eye from Earth. It is the most expensive object ever constructed. In 2010 the cost was expected to be $150 billion.
Zarya (which means “sunrise” in Russian) is the first module of the International Space Station to be launched. It signified the dawn of a new era of international cooperation in space, hence the name. Although it was built by a Russian company, it is owned by the United States.
See International Space Station modules 360°: Explore the Space Station’s first module with your mobile phone or a virtual-reality headset. This 360° video allows you to explore the International Space Station’s first module, Zarya. Launched on 20 November 1998, it was joined three weeks later by the US Unity module. Also known as the Functional Cargo Block, the module is now mainly used for storage. ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti took the pictures to form these images in June 2015 at the end of her 199-day Futura mission.
Unity
Also known as Node-1, Unity was the first U.S.-built component of the ISS. It was carried into orbit as the primary cargo of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-88, the first Space Shuttle mission dedicated to the assembly of the station. On December 6, 1998, the STS-88 crew mated the aft berthing port of Unity with the forward hatch of the already orbiting Zarya module.
See International Space Station modules 360°: This 360° video allows you to explore the International Space Station’s second module, Unity. Launched on 4 December 1998 inside Space Shuttle Endeavour, it was joined to the Russian Zarya module two days later, forming the basis of the International Space Station. Also known as Node-1, the cylindrical module has six docking ports to connect visiting spacecraft and other modules.
Zvezda (which means “star” in Russian), DOS-8, also known as the Zvezda Service Module, was the third module launched to the ISS and provides all of the station’s life support systems, as well as living quarters for two crew members. It is the structural and functional center of the Russian portion of the station – the Russian Orbital Segment.
Zvezda was launched on July 12, 2000, and docked with the Zarya module on July 26.
Zvezda contains the European Space Agency’s Digital Management System, a computer that controls the ISS.
The module is also the home of the Lada Greenhouse, which is a test for growing plants in space.
See International Space Station modules 360°: Explore the heart of the Russian segment of the International Space Station in this global view with your mobile phone and virtual-reality headset. This 360° panorama allows you to explore the International Space Station’s third module, Zvezda. Launched on 12 July 2000, the Russian module supplies life support for the Station and crew quarters. All five of Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicles docked with the module. The images to create this view were taken by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti during her Futura mission in 2015; the cosmonaut in the picture is Gennady Padalka.
Destiny
The Destiny module, also known as the US Lab, is the primary operating facility for U.S. research payloads aboard the ISS. It was berthed to the Unity module and activated over a period of five days in February 2001. Destiny is NASA’s first permanent operating orbital research station since Skylab was vacated in February 1974.
The Nadir window of the Destiny module supports the crew taking Earth observations/images. According to NASA, it has the highest quality optics ever flown on a human-occupied spacecraft.
See International Space Station modules 360°: This 360° panorama lets you explore the International Space Station’s fourth module, Destiny. Launched on 7 February 2001 on Space Shuttle Atlantis, the American module is the heart of the non-Russian part of the Station according to ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti (who took the pictures to create this view). The module allows experiments to be performed in many disciplines, from biology to physics, including a rack for burning liquids in weightlessness and the European Microgravity Science Glovebox.
Harmony
Also known as Node 2, Harmony is the “utility hub” of the International Space Station. The hub contains four racks that provide electrical power plus electronic data and act as a central connecting point for several other components.
Harmony was launched on October 23, 2007, aboard STS-120, The name was chosen from a competition involving more than 2,200 kindergartens through high school students from 32 US states.
See International Space Station modules 360°: Explore the International Space Station’s Harmony module in this full panorama with your mobile phone or VR headset. This 360° panorama lets you explore the International Space Station’s fifth module, Harmony. It was launched on 23 October 2007 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery to link the Columbus, Kibo, and Destiny laboratories. Harmony was developed for NASA under an ESA contract with the European industry. Its structure is based on that of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules and Europe’s Columbus.
Columbus
Columbus is a science laboratory and is the largest single contribution to the ISS made by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Like the Harmony and Tranquility modules, it was constructed in Turin, Italy by Thales Alenia Space.
See International Space Station modules 360°: Explore Europe’s Columbus space laboratory with your mobile phone or VR headset in this panorama. This 360° panorama lets you explore the International Space Station’s sixth module, Columbus. It was launched on 7 February 2008 on Space Shuttle Atlantis. The laboratory is ESA’s largest single contribution to the ISS and Europe’s first permanent research facility in space. The state-of-the-art facility offers 75 cubic meters of workspace and contains a suite of research equipment. External platforms support experiments and applications in space science, Earth observation, and technology. Columbus offers European scientists full access to a weightless environment that cannot be duplicated on Earth.
Kibo
The Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), nicknamed Kibo (means Hope in Japan), is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station (ISS) developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It is the largest single ISS module and is attached to the Harmony module. The first two pieces of the module were launched on Space Shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124. The third and final components were launched on STS-127.
See International Space Station modules 360°: Explore Japan’s Kibo space laboratory with your mobile phone or VR headset in this panorama. This 360° panorama lets you explore the International Space Station’s seventh module, Kibo. It was launched in three parts in 2008 and 2009 aboard Space Shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour. The laboratory is renowned for its volume and extra features such as its external robotic arm, an airlock to send experiments outside, and an external facility to expose experiments to space. Nanosats can be launched from Kibo through the airlock, making the Station a base for deploying satellites as well as a weightless research center for biology, physics, and medicine.
Tranquility
Tranquility, also known as Node 3 was launched on On February 8, 2010, by NASA. European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency had Tranquility built by Thales Alenia Space, Europe’s largest satellite manufacturer.
See International Space Station modules 360°: Explore the International Space Station’s Tranquility module from all angles on your mobile phone or headset. Node-3 Tranquility provides life-support for the International Space Station. Part of Tranquility is ESA’s Cupola observation module, a seven-window dome-shaped structure from where the Space Station’s robotic arm, Canadarm 2, is operated as it offers a panoramic view of space and Earth. Launched on Space Shuttle flight STS-130 in February 2010, Node-3 was attached to the port side of Node-1 Unity.
I am a software developer and a science enthusiast. I was graduated from the Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Computer Engineering. In the past, I worked at the Istanbul Technical University Science Center as a science instructor. I write about the planet Earth and science on this website, ourplnt.com. I am also an animal lover! I take care of stray cats & dogs. This website's all income goes directly to our furry friends. Please consider supporting me on Patreon, so I can help more animals!
I am a software developer and a science enthusiast. I was graduated from the Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Computer Engineering. In the past, I worked at the Istanbul Technical University Science Center as a science instructor. I write about the planet Earth and science on this website, ourplnt.com. I am also an animal lover! I take care of stray cats & dogs. This website's all income goes directly to our furry friends. Please consider supporting me on Patreon, so I can help more animals!
2 replies on “See International Space Station Modules 360-Degree”
You can find an enriched street view version of the ISS on the website https://iss360.ovh/, this is the best way to discover the space station.
These videos are only isolated 360 ° photographs, with the ISS 360 virtual tour you progress through the station and you can learn about many devices.
Thanks for the comment, François! Very nice site.