Space Station Virtual Tour

Collaboration in Space Since November 2000, the International Space Station has been home to astronauts from around the world, studying what happens to people when they live and work in space. Several countries worked together to design, build and staff the ISS. The spacecraft houses science labs from the United States, Japan, Russia and several European countries. The ISS is actually visible from Earth as its orbit is just 220 miles above the Earth's surface. Visit NASA's Spot the Station website to learn when and where the space station will be visible. Google partnered with astronauts on the ISS to collect Street View imagery of the actual space station. If you want an even closer look, you can visit the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

ARED (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device)

The Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) uses adjustable resistance piston-driven vacuum cylinders along with a flywheel system to simulate free-weight exercises in normal gravity. Studies have found that without exercises like those possible on the ARED, astronauts could lose up to 15% of their muscle volume, which could be difficult or even impossible to regain back on Earth. ARED's primary goal is to maintain muscle strength and mass in astronauts during long periods in space. (Source: NASA)

 

Columbus Research Laboratory The Columbus Research Laboratory is a multifunctional pressurized laboratory permanently attached to Node 2 of the ISS. The Columbus laboratory’s flexibility provides room for the researchers on the ground, aided by the station’s crew, to conduct thousands of experiments in life sciences, materials sciences, fluid physics and other research in a weightless environment not possible on Earth.