But what is the ISS?
Recently, NASA teamed up with SpaceX to send two astronauts to the International Space Station to perform some experiments in microgravity, and you’re probably wondering why. In this article, I’ll try to break down everything you need to know about the ISS in the form of some very simple and fundamental questions.
What is the ISS?
The International Space Station, to put it simply, is a scientific lab in low earth orbit. Scientists perform microgravity (zero-gravity) experiments in a wide variety of fields, such as biology, physics, meteorology, amongst many others. It is also used for testing spacecraft systems that could serve on long duration flights to the moon or Mars. It circles the earth in roughly 93 minutes, completing 15.5 revolutions a day. It maintains orbit using its own engines, and even those of a visiting spacecraft. It is electrically powered by solar arrays which span over 240 feet, about the same length as the Airbus A380.
Who built it and how long did it take?
The ISS is a $150 billion joint venture between NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada), making it the world’s largest international co-operative programme in science and technology. The ownership and use is determined by intergovernmental treaties and agreements. The USA and Russia get first preferences because of their large investments in the ISS. Its construction is a continuous process, which continues even today. There have been 42 assembly flights, out of which 37 were from the USA, while 5 were from Russia. The first component was launched in 1998, while the first long term residents arrived in late 2000. The station has been occupied ever since, for almost 20 years. It holds the record of having the longest human presence in lower earth orbit. Over 240 individuals have visited the ISS, and four more are scheduled to arrive in late September.
How big is the ISS?
The ISS weighs about 463 tons and is the size of a regular football field. It holds 6 sleeping quarters, 2 bathrooms, a gym and a 360-degree bay-view window, from where a lot of breathtaking photos for the ISS’s Instagram account are taken. Eight miles of wire connects the electrical power system aboard the space station. It has a 55-foot robotic arm, called Canadarm2, which aids in experiments and even transports astronauts in their spacewalks. It would have been impossible to build the Space Station on Earth and then launch it into space in one go, there is no rocket big or powerful enough.
Eight spaceships can be connected to the station at once. More than 20 different research payloads can be externally attached to the station for earth sensing, material science or particle physics experiments.
What are the experiments performed on the ISS?
The ISS isn’t just a vehicle for NASA and and their astrophysicists. It benefits professionals from all walks of science. It provided a no-gravity environment for Parkinson’s research, which helps over 10 million people. In fact, there are a number of drug discovery investigations taking place on the space station. Till April 2019, astronauts were also growing barley seeds in the station to check for abnormalities, hoping to be able to grow plantations on the moon or Mars in the future. There are also some very cool science fiction-y experiments such as seeing how planets are formed using stardust. In the last 20 years, a virtual zoo of organisms has been launched to the station. Apart from studying various plants and animals, human physiology itself has often been under the microscope. In a way, astronauts themselves are observed as a part of an experiment.
Future of the ISS
When being planned, the ISS was commissioned only for 15 years, it’s term ending in 2015, but it’s usefulness and technological robustness had led to an extension of it’s tenure till 2025. Yet, NASA faces a huge funding problem that constantly nags them to decommission the station. They spend about $3–4 billion in yearly maintenance costs alone. An alternative that the Trump administration came up with was privatizing it. It was proposed that companies would be able to conduct experiments of their choice, using their equipment, at a cost. This seems like a great solution, except that it doesn’t cut it. According to The American Action Forum, even after privatizing the station, NASA would run short of revenues by about $1–1.8 billion. Policymakers are trying hard to make up plans to sustain the ISS, but it’s future seems dull. According to the current situation, the ISS will be decommissioned (taken down) by 2025, having served the human race for 25 years. Being an advocate of privatization, I am very hopeful for newer and more comfortable policies for the space station.
The ISS is truly a marvel of engineering and science and has fast-tracked the journey of humans into the cosmos. Many argue whether the costs of this mission are justified. Honestly, we don’t know. What we do know is that the sheer existence of such a robust piece of technology, bringing together so many powerful nations towards a common goal is definitely a step forward for humanity.
