Tranquility (ISS module)

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Tranquility
STS-130 PMA-3 relocation 3.jpg
Tranquility with Cupola
Space station: International space station
Start date: February 8, 2010
Launcher: Space Shuttle Endeavor
Coupling: February 12, 2010
Dimensions: 15,500 kg
Length: 6.70 m
Diameter: 4.48 m
Adjacent modules
Flight direction
Triangle Up.svg
  PMM Leonardo
Triangle Left.svg Zenith / Nadir Triangle Right.svg
─ ─ / Cupola Unity
Triangle Down.svg
  BEAM

Tranquility , formerly Node 3 , is the third connection module of the International Space Station (ISS) after Unity (Node 1) and Harmony (Node 2 ) . It took off on February 8, 2010 together with the Cupola observation tower on the STS-130 shuttle flight to the ISS. There it was coupled to the left side of the Unity connection module opposite the Quest exit module.

function

Tranquility contains the most advanced life support systems ever flown into space. On the one hand, they will treat the wastewater that is used for the crew and oxygen production. Systems for restoring the atmosphere, filtering foreign matter from the air and controlling the composition of the atmosphere in the module are also included. The waste and hygiene departments of the on-board crew will also be installed. Finally, Tranquility also provides space for power, data, command, temperature and environmental controls.

Tranquility will be docked with the ISS.

The dimensions of the module are:

Length: 6.70 m
Diameter: 4.48 m
Takeoff weight: 15,500 kg
Payload mass: 19,000 kg

The Cupola module, from which the Canadarm robotic arm can be controlled by an astronaut, is docked to one of the coupling nozzles of the Tranquility module . Tranquility continues to provide redundant docking areas for the space transporters HTV , Dragon and Cygnus . The MPLM modules were coupled here while the space shuttles were in use .

The module is part of the American part of the station and was built by Alenia Spazio in Italy on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA), which in return receives transport services with NASA's space shuttle . The module was officially adopted on May 16, 2009 in Turin. Tranquility finally reached the Kennedy Space Center on May 20th with an Airbus Beluga .

Naming

By March 20, 2009, NASA had an Internet survey voted on the name of the module, which at that time was still known as "Node 3". Everyone could take part. In the end, the name Serenity ("cheerfulness", "serenity") got the most votes in the NASA proposals with 70%, while Colbert led the new proposals with 230,539 votes after the American comedian Stephen Colbert had called for the election. In absolute numbers, this proposal was about 40,000 votes ahead of Serenity . NASA reserved the right to finalize the name and decided against Colbert and Serenity . On April 15, 2009, astronaut Sunita Williams announced the name Tranquility ("calm") as the new name of the module on Colbert's television show Colbert Report . The decision was supposed to honor the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing , which took place at Mare Tranquillitatis .

Web links

Commons : Tranquility  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ European-built Node 3 says farewell to Europe. ESA, May 18, 2009, accessed June 26, 2009 .
  2. ^ European-built ISS module welcomed to KSC. ESA, June 12, 2009, accessed June 26, 2009 .
  3. ^ Contest Rules. (No longer available online.) NASA, archived from the original on February 23, 2009 ; accessed on February 25, 2009 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nasa.gov
  4. ↑ Oops: Colbert wins NASA space station name contest. Yahoo March 23, 2009; archived from the original on March 26, 2009 ; accessed on March 24, 2009 .
  5. ↑ Help NASA Name Node 3! NASA, accessed February 25, 2009 .