Space
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The
Space Shuttle Endeavour lights up the night sky as it embarks on the
first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International
Space Station. |
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With
the aid of the Canadian-built Remote Manipulator System (RMS), Space
Shuttle Endeavour's cabin-bound astronauts lift Unity out of the payload
bay to position it upright for connection to Zarya. |
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Mission
specialists James H. Newman and Jerry L. Ross (out of frame) shared
three separate space walks designed to prepare for the release of
the first combined elements of the International Space Station. |
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Astronaut
Nancy J. Currie and cosmonaut Sergei K. Krikalev, both mission specialists,
use rechargeable power tools to manipulate nuts and bolts on the Russian-built
Zarya module. Astronaut Robert D. Cabana, mission commander, translates
in the background. |
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The
United States-built Unity connecting module (bottom) and the Russian-built
Zarya module are backdropped against the blackness of space. |
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This
digital artist's concept shows a close-up of Russian segments of the
International Space Station after all assembly is completed. The Service
Module in the center of this view will be the early living quarters
and the cornerstone of the station. |
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Living
In Space |
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Astronaut
Frederick W. "Rick" Sturckow, pilot, gets a workout on the bicycle
ergometer, on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The human body loses muscle
and bone mass rapidly in space. To fight this loss, two hours of strenuous
exercise will be built into every astronaut's daily schedule while
living on the Space Station. |
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Astronauts
Frederick W. "Rick" Sturckow (top), pilot, and Jerry L. Ross, mission
specialist, are ready for their sleep period aboard the Earth-orbiting
Space Shuttle Endeavour. Humans need a little less sleep in space
because our bodies do very little work in a microgravity environment.
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Dr.
Nigel Packham, a Lockheed-Martin life support systems scientist, appears
almost lost among the 30,000 wheat plants that produced oxygen for
him during a 15-day regenerative life support systems test at the
Johnson Space Center. Live plants will be important to any future
manned space exploration because they generate oxygen and take in
carbon dioxide. |
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