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International Space Station on course for launch

International Space Station
International Space Station to be completed by 2002   
May 12, 1998
Web posted at: 1:42 p.m. EDT (1742 GMT)

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Texas (CNN) -- Preparations are on track for the launch later this year of the International Space Station, marking "a means to a new beginning of international cooperation to work together for deep space exploration," NASA officials said Tuesday.

Randy Brinkley, the International Space Station manager, made the statement at a briefing on the current state of the project, which has been described as the largest scientific cooperative program in history.

The space station program includes the following nations: the United States, Canada, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Brazil and Russia.

Watch Tuesday's overview and status news conference
icon

VXtreme streaming video (31:00) - Part 1

VXtreme streaming video (29:00) - Part 2

The space station program is far advanced in its developmental phase and already has moved into the operational phase. Overall, the program has three phases:

  • Phase I: Americans and Russians working together in laboratories on the Russian space station Mir. Cooperation also involves working on the U.S. space shuttle.

  • Phase II: Placing in orbit a core space station with a U.S. laboratory module.

  • Phase III: Assembling the space station, scheduled for completion in mid-2002. This phase ends when assembly is complete -- and astronauts/cosmonauts from many countries commence a planned 15 years of research aboard the station.

During Tuesday's news conference, Brinkley and representatives of the participating nations gave an overview of their contributions to the space station, the first element of which will likely be launched in June 1998.

United States

The United States is the initiator and leader of the ISS and provides about 50 percent of the capability of the station, Brinkley said. Over 70 percent of U.S. hardware development has been completed, and half of that is already being prepared for launch.

A key contribution will be the U.S. Laboratory Module with 3,812 cubic feet of space and 13 integrated payload racks. The United States also provides so-called nodes that link station modules with each other, as well as large solar arrays to generate electrical power and an airlock for spacewalks.

Ossipov
Ossipov discusses Russia's contribution to the International Space Station   

Russia

Grigory Ossipov, the representative of the Russian Space Agency, outlined Moscow's contributions. Those include a service module, a universal docking module and life support and research modules.

A key part is the Functional Energy Block. It is constructed by a Russian company for NASA, which also pays for it. The energy block will provide early re-boost capability, pressurized space for payloads and astronauts, and storage for fuel and supplies.

Canada

MSS
Robotic arms of the Mobile Servicing System (MSS)   

The new space station will "stretch (the) intellectual reach of mankind," said Bryan Erb, director of the Canadian Space Agency.

Canada is contributing a second-generation robotic arm similar to the one developed for the U.S. space shuttle. The Space Station Remote Manipulator System is a huge arm that can handle heavy objects with millimeter precision. There is also a shorter robotic arm, and both arms are part of the Canadian Mobile Servicing System.

European Space Agency

Francesco Di Mauro said the European Space Agency considers the construction of the new space station of vital importance since it will provide the "ideal platform" for research and the development of new technologies. He said ESA believes the space research will eventually yield many products to improve life on Earth, apart from providing new insight about space itself.

COF
Columbus Orbital Facility (COF)   

ESA builds the Columbus Orbital Facility which will provide key space for laboratory research. The Europeans are also constructing what is known as the Automated Transfer Vehicle that will eventually lock on to the Russian-built part of the station. The ESA vehicle will transport such items as water, oxygen, spare parts, fuel and experiments.

Japan

A key part provided by Japan is the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM for short, said Koji Yanagawa, director of the National Space Development Agency of Japan.

The JEM consists of a number of different components, including a pressurized laboratory, an external platform for unpressurized experiments as well as a robotic arm to handle payloads and for servicing work.

 
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