The International Space Station (ISS)

The International Space Station is the result of joint work of specialists from a number of areas from sixteen countries (Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan, the European Union member states). The grandiose project, which in 2013 marked the fifteenth anniversary of the beginning of its implementation, embodies all the achievements of the technical thought of our time. An impressive part of the material about near and far outer space and some earth phenomena and processes of scientists is provided by the international space station. ISS, however, was not built in one day, its creation was preceded by almost thirty-year history of space exploration.

How it all began

ISS precursors were orbital stations. Unquestionable primacy in the creation of these facilities was occupied by Soviet technicians and engineers. Work on the project "Almaz" began back in late 1964. Scientists were working on a manned orbital station, on which 2-3 astronauts could be. It was assumed that "Almaz" will last for two years and all this time will be used for research. According to the project, the main part of the complex was OPS - an orbital manned space station. It housed working areas of crew members, as well as a household compartment. The OPS was equipped with two hatches for going into outer space and dumping special capsules with information on the ground, as well as a passive docking node.

The efficiency of the station is largely determined by its energy reserves. The developers of Almaz have found a way to multiply them many times. Delivery of cosmonauts and various cargo to the station were engaged in transport supply ships (TSS). They, among other things, were equipped with an active docking system, a powerful energy resource, an excellent traffic control system. TKS was able for a long time to supply the station with energy, as well as manage the whole complex. All subsequent similar projects, including the international space station, were created using the same method of saving OPS resources.

The first

Rivalry with the United States forced Soviet scientists and engineers to work as quickly as possible, so another orbiting station, Salyut, was created in the shortest possible time. She was taken to outer space in April 1971. The basis of the station is the so-called working compartment, which includes two cylinders, small and large. Inside the smaller diameter was located the control point, sleeping places and rest areas, storage and eating. The larger cylinder is a receptacle of scientific equipment, simulators, without which none such flight can do, and also there was a shower and a toilet, isolated from the rest of the room.

Each next "Salute" was somewhat different from the previous one: it was equipped with the latest equipment, had design features that corresponded to the development of technology and knowledge of that time. These orbital stations laid the foundation for a new era in the study of cosmic and terrestrial processes. "Salutes" were the base on which there were a lot of research in the field of medicine, physics, industry and agriculture. It is also difficult to overestimate the experience of using the orbital station, which was successfully used in the operation of the next manned complex.

"Peace"

Long was the process of accumulating experience and knowledge, which resulted in the international space station. "Mir" is a modular manned complex - its next stage. It tested the so-called block principle of creating a station, when for some time the bulk of it is increasing its technical and research power by adding new modules. Later it will be "borrowed" by the international space station. "Mir" became an example of technical and engineering skills of our country and actually provided it one of the leading roles in the creation of the ISS.

Work on the construction of the station began in 1979, and it was delivered to orbit on February 20, 1986. During all the time of the existence of the "World", various studies were conducted on it. The necessary equipment was delivered as part of additional modules. The station "Mir" allowed scientists, engineers and researchers to gain invaluable experience in using a spacecraft of this scale. In addition, it became a place for peaceful international interaction: in 1992, an agreement on cooperation in outer space was signed between Russia and the United States. It was actually launched in 1995, when the American Shuttle set off for Mir station.

Completion of flight

The Mir station became the site of a wide variety of research. Here, we analyzed, refined and discovered data in the field of biology and astrophysics, space technology and medicine, geophysics and biotechnology.

The station completed its existence in 2001. The reason for the decision to flood it was the development of the energy resource, as well as some accidents. Various versions of the salvation of the object were put forward, but they were not accepted, and in March 2001 the Mir station was submerged in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Establishment of an international space station: preparatory phase

The idea of creating the ISS arose at a time when the thought of flooding the "World" had never occurred to anyone. The indirect cause of the station was the political and financial crisis in our country and economic problems in the United States. Both powers realized their inability to cope alone with the task of creating an orbital station. In the early nineties, an agreement on cooperation was signed, one of the points of which was the international space station. ISS as a project united not only Russia and the United States, but, as already noted, fourteen other countries. Simultaneously with the definition of the participants, the ISS project was approved: the station will consist of two integrated blocks, the US and Russian, and be manned in orbit in a modular way similar to the "World".

"Dawn"

The first international space station began its existence in orbit in 1998. On November 20, with the help of the Proton rocket, the Russian-produced functional block Zarya was launched. It became the first segment of the ISS. It was structurally similar to some of the modules of the Mir station. Interestingly, the American side proposed to build the ISS directly in orbit, and only the experience of Russian colleagues and the example of "Peace" inclined them towards the modular method.

Inside the "Dawn" is equipped with various instruments and equipment, life support systems, docking, power supply, and control. Impressive parts of the equipment, including fuel tanks, radiators, cameras and solar panels, are located on the outside of the module. All external elements are protected from meteorites by special screens.

Module by module

On December 5, 1998, the shuttle Endeavor with the US docking module Unity set off for Zarya. Two days later Unity was docked to Zarya. Further, the international space station "acquired" the service module "Zvezda", which was also manufactured in Russia. "Star" was a modernized base station of the station "Mir". The docking of the new module took place on July 26, 2000. Since that moment Zvezda took over the management of the ISS, as well as all life support systems, it became possible for the crew of the astronauts to stay at the station for a long time.

Switching to manned mode

The first crew of the international space station was delivered by the Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft on November 2, 2000. It included V. Shepherd, commander of the expedition, Yu. Gidzenko - pilot, S. Krikalev - flight engineer. From that moment a new stage of operation of the station began: it switched to manned mode.

Composition of the second expedition: Yuri Usachev, James Voss and Susan Helms. She replaced the first crew in early March 2001.

The study of space and earthly phenomena

The International Space Station is the place for a variety of scientific research. The task of each crew consists, among other things, in the collection of data on certain cosmic processes, the study of the properties of certain substances under conditions of weightlessness, and so on. Scientific research that is conducted on the ISS can be presented in the form of a generalized list:

• Observation of various remote objects of space;
• The study of dark matter, cosmic rays;
• Observation of the Earth, including the study of atmospheric phenomena;
• The study of physical and bioprocess characteristics in zero-gravity conditions;
• Testing new materials and technologies in outer space;
• Medical research, including the creation of new drugs, testing of diagnostic methods in conditions of weightlessness;
• Production of semiconductor materials.

Future

Like any other object that is subjected to such a heavy load and is so intensively exploited, the ISS will sooner or later cease to function at the required level. Originally it was assumed that its "shelf life" would end in 2016, that is, the station was given only 15 years. However, even from the first months of its operation, it began to sound suppositions that this term was somewhat understated. Today, there are hopes that the international space station will work until 2020. Then, probably, it is waiting for the same fate as the station "Mir": the ISS will be flooded in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Today, the international space station, the photo of which is presented in the article, continues to successfully orbit around our planet. Periodically in the media, one can find references to new research done on board the station. ISS is the only object of space tourism: only at the end of 2012 it was visited by eight amateur cosmonauts. It can be assumed that this kind of entertainment will only gain strength, since the Earth from space is a fascinating sight. And no photograph compares with the possibility of seeing such beauty from the window of the international space station.