International Space Station – NASA 25/06/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags:

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

 

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered: ISS- Background, Purpose of ISS, Soyuz capsule

 

News Flash

Three astronauts safely returned to Earth.  They spend more than six months aboard the International Space Station.

The Soyuz capsule with astronauts landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan.

The crew contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science, including investigations into small devices that replicate the structure and function of human organs, editing DNA in space for the first time and recycling 3D-printed material.

 

Soyuz

  • The Soyuz (saw-yooz) is a Russian spacecraft.
  • Soyuz carries people and supplies to and from the space station.
  • The Soyuz can also bring people back to Earth.
  • A Soyuz has room for three people to ride in it.
  • The spacecraft also brings food and water to the space station.
  • The Soyuz has two parts. One part is the Soyuz capsule. The second part is the Soyuz rocket.

 

International Space Station

  • The International Space Station with ESA’s Columbus laboratory flies 400 km high at speeds that defy gravity.
  • At 28,800 km/h it only takes 90 minutes for the weightless laboratory to make a complete circuit of Earth.
  • Astronauts working and living on the Station experience 16 sunrises and sunsets each day.
  • Its first component was launched into orbit in 1998.
  • The station is expected to operate until 2030.
  • The ISS consists of pressurised habitation modules, structural trusses, solar arrays, radiators, docking ports, experiment bays and robotic arms.
  • The ISS programme is a joint project between five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada).
  • The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.
  • The station is divided into two sections, the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS) and the United States Orbital Segment (USOS), which is shared by many nations.

 

Purpose of International Space Station

  • Originally, the ISS was intended to be a laboratory, observatory, and factory in low Earth orbit. It was also planned to provide transportation, maintenance, and act as a staging base for possible future missions to the Moon, Mars, and asteroids.
  • Later on, the ISS was given additional roles of serving commercial, diplomatic and educational purposes.

 

Source: ISA

 

You can follow us on LinkedIn and for more updates related to UPSC IAS Preparation, Like our Facebook Page and subscribe our Diligent IAS Youtube Channel 

Also, Read Related Daily News