Life in Space Operations

Features astronauts and robotic systems working inside the International Space Station, showcasing high-tech equipment, space suits, and collaborative efforts in a microgravity environment.

Day In The Life of Artemis Employees

Day In The Life of Artemis Employees

ISS038-E-053264 (19 Feb. 2014) --- In the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 38 flight engineer, prepares a second batch of NanoRacks CubeSats for deployment.

ISS014-E-09478 (11 Dec. 2006) --- Astronaut Sunita L. Williams, STS-116 mission specialist, works the controls of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm2 in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station during flight day three activities.

ISS040-E-099251 (18 Aug. 2014) --- Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, Expedition 40 flight engineer, uses a digital still camera to expose a photo of his helmet visor during a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as work continues outside the International Space Station. During the five-hour, 11-minute spacewalk, Artemyev and cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov (out of frame), flight engineer, deployed a small science satellite, retrieved and installed experiment packages and inspected components on the exterior of the orbital laboratory.

ISS029-E-025806 (13 Oct. 2011) --- Robonaut 2 -- the first dexterous humanoid robot in space - is pictured in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Mike Fossum, Expedition 29 commander; and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, flight engineer, (both out of frame) joined forces to conduct the second onboard tests of R2, which was put in motion for the first time in orbit. After performing a coordinated power-up with the ground, the crew maneuvered each arm joint to determine the differences of the microgravity environment by setting control gains through repetitive motions. They also performed an initial vision checkout of the high-def cameras to verify they are working and in focus. The ground then commanded R2 to move to the stow-position while monitoring the motion.

iss064e033716 (Feb. 16, 2020) --- This top-down view shows a pair of U.S. spacesuits set up for maintenance work inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock where spacewalks in the U.S. segment are staged.

ISS030-E-177225 (15 March 2012) --- NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, uses Neurospat hardware to perform a science session with the European Space Agency PASSAGES experiment in the Columbus laboratory of the International Space Station. PASSAGES is designed to test how astronauts interpret visual information in weightlessness. It aims at studying the effects of microgravity on the use of the 'Eye-Height' strategy for estimating allowed actions in an environment, and whether this could possibly decrease after a long exposure to weightlessness.

iss054e001241 (Dec. 18, 2017) --- NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei installs a sample for the Zebrafish Muscle 2 experiment in the Kibo Japanese Experiment Pressurized Module (JPM) to study the effects of muscle atrophy in space.

. iss068e039915 (Jan. 11, 2023) - NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann configures spacewalk tools and hardware inside the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module.

ISS040-E-086642 (2 Aug. 2014) --- NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, Expedition 40 commander, floats freely near the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) in the Tranquility node of the International Space Station.

ISS033-E-007246 (24 Sept. 2012) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, Expedition 33 flight engineer, works on replacing valves in an International Space Stations Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly.

iss063e030831 (June 21, 2020) --- A U.S. spacesuit is pictured in the Quest airlock during a break in spacewalk preparations. Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy and Flight Engineer Bob Behnken will exit the International Space Station on June 26 and July 1 for a pair of spacewalks to upgrade power systems on the orbiting laboratory.

ISS030-E-108820 (28 Feb. 2012) --- In the center of this "fisheye" lens image is a four-inch polished metal sphere onboard the International Space Station. Expedition 30 crew members using an 8-mm lens took a series of pictures of the sphere.

S126-E-008120 (18 Nov. 2008) --- Interior view of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module attached to the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station's Harmony node. Leonardo was moved from Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay and linked to the station on Nov. 17, carrying two water recovery systems racks for recycling urine into potable water, a second toilet system, new gallery components, two new food warmers, a food refrigerator, an experiment freezer, combustion science experiment rack, two separate sleeping quarters and a resistance exercise device (aRED) that allows station crewmembers to perform a variety of exercises.

ISS033-E-016607 (24 Oct. 2012) --- In the International Space Stations Kibo laboratory, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, Expedition 33 flight engineer, works on the Multipurpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) in preparation for the arrival of the JAXA Medaka Osteoclast (MOST) payload which will arrive on the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft on Oct. 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the flight deck of space shuttle Atlantis, STS-122 Mission Specialist Stanley Love looks at cables and controls. The STS-122 mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch at 2:45 p.m. Feb. 7 with a crew of seven. Atlantis will carry the Columbus Laboratory, Europe's largest contribution to the construction of the station. Columbus will support scientific and technological research in a microgravity environment. Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to the Harmony module to carry out experiments in materials science, fluid physics and biosciences, as well as to perform a number of technological applications.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers dressed in clean room attire, known as bunny suits, install the tool stowage assembly in space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay. The assembly contains tools and hardware that will be needed on the extravehicular activities, or spacewalks, conducted during the STS-132 mission. On STS-132, the six-member crew will deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier and a Russian-built Mini-Research Module to the International Space Station. STS-132 is the 34th mission to the station and the 132nd space shuttle mission. Launch is targeted for May 14.

ISS038-E-031405 (15 Jan. 2014) --- In the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov (left), Expedition 38 commander; and NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, flight engineer, conduct a session with a pair of bowling-ball-sized free-flying satellites known as Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES. The experiment uses student written algorithms that operate the small satellites to demonstrate critical mission tasks such as formation flying and vehicle dockings.

Day In The Life of Artemis Employees

ISS035-E-016453 (9 April 2013) --- R-2 is busy in U.S. lab Destiny aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station during tele-operation (by ground controllers) to mimic movement of a crew member.

iss040e104595 (8/22/2014) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Alex Gerst is photographed removing the Facility for Absorption and Surface Tension (FASTER) hardware from the European Drawer Rack (EDR) and packing it for return on a future flight for refurbishment. The photo taken in the Columbus modulel aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Facility for Adsorption and Surface Tension (FASTER) investigates the physical principles which determine the stability of different emulsions, and which compounds can influence this.

ISS030-E-142876 (14 March 2012) --- Controlled by teams on the ground, Robonaut 2 humanoid robot holds an instrument to measure air velocity during another system check out in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

ISS036-E-035134 (22 Aug. 2013) --- At a window in the Poisk Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2), Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, Expedition 36 commander, uses a digital still camera to photograph spacewalk activities as Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin, both Expedition 36 flight engineers, continue outfitting the International Space Station.

ISS032-E-024618 (30 Aug. 2012) --- NASA astronaut Joe Acaba (center), Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko (right foreground), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide (left) and NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, all Expedition 32 flight engineers, prepare for the start of the missions second session of extravehicular activity (EVA) in the International Space Stations Quest airlock. Hoshide and Williams are attired in their Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits.

ISS036-E-038293 (28 Aug. 2013) --- In the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Expedition 36 flight engineer, wears tele-operation gear consisting of a vest, gloves and visor to telerobotically test Robonaut 2's maneuvers. Cassidy was able to manipulate R2's head, neck, arms and fingers telerobotically through his own movements as well as through verbal commands.

ISS030-E-074051 (14 Feb. 2012) --- NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Expedition 30 flight engineer, prepares for a NASA Education Payload Operations (EPO) activity in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. Pettit is working with a soft Earth ball and an eraser tied to dental floss to demonstrate the space station orbiting Earth.

ISS040-E-013837 (17 June 2014) --- This is the Orlan spacesuit of Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, Expedition 40 flight engineer. Skvortsov and fellow cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev readied their Russian Orlan suits early on June 17 in preparation for a scheduled spacewalk on June 19.

NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman (back to camera),Expedition 40 flight engineer,is pictured in the Rassvet Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM-1) hatch of the International Space Station.

iss053e234714 (Nov. 21, 2017) --- Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) Facility in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module (JPM). The Plant Habitat is a fully automated facility that provides a large, enclosed, environmentally-controlled chamber for plant bioscience research.

iss059e072275 (May 23, 2019) --- Expedition 59 Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin (foreground) and Commander Oleg Kononenko ready a pair of Russian Orlan spacesuits inside the Pirs docking compartment's airlock. Ovchinin and Kononenko are due to conduct the fourth spacewalk of 2019 for space station maintenance on May 29.

iss064e016831 (Dec. 30, 2020) --- NASA astronaut Shannon Walker is pictured packing the Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter, attached to the Earth-facing port of the Unity module, ahead of its departure from the International Space Station.

STS-130 TCDT - PAYLOAD BAY WALKDOWN

ISS009-E-07019 (12 May 2004) --- Astronaut Edward M. (Mike) Fincke, Expedition 9 NASA ISS science officer and flight engineer, works in the Quest airlock on the International Space Station (ISS). Two Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits are visible in the foreground.

The Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA), designed and constructed under the direction of the Marshall Space Flight Center, was one of four principal sections comprising Skylab. The MDA provided the means by which the Command and Service Modules attached to the Skylab, enabling the crews to enter and work in it. Also included in the MDA was a control and display console for the Apollo Telescope Mount. This image shows an interior view of the MDA.

PHOTO DATE: 14 April 2010LOCATION: Bldg 7/SSATA ChamberSUBJECT: Astronaut Scott Kelly during EMU

ISS008-E-19132 (24 March 2004) --- The Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Beacon / Beacon Tester floats in the Unity node of the International Space Station.

iss051e042749 (5/15/2017) -- NASA astronaut Jack Fischer loads the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer in to an airlock in the Japanese Experiment Module on the International Space Station. When transferred to the outside of the station, ground crews took control, triggering deployment of the satellites into Earth orbit.

ISS016-E-021042 (5 Jan. 2008) --- Astronaut Daniel Tani, Expedition 16 flight engineer, works in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

iss022e015850 (12/30/2009) --- The image shows a front view of EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station EXPRESS Rack 4 (Rack 4,JPM/1F5) in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM). Equipment visible in the EXPRESS Rack includes the Biotechnology Specimen Temperature Controller (BSTC) and the Gas Supply Module (GSM) support hardware for the CBOSS (Cellular Biotechnology Operations Support Systems) investigations, and the Device for the Study of Critical Liquids and Crystallization (DECLIC).

iss050e054453 (3/4/2017) --- NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson during Microgravity Expanded Stem Cells (MESC) clean up, in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). Microgravity Expanded Stem Cells observes cell growth and morphological characteristics in microgravity and analyzes gene expression profiles of cells grown in microgravity.

ISS003-E-7261 (October 2001) --- Cosmonaut Vladimir N. Dezhurov, Expedition Three flight engineer, takes a break from his duties, as he plays with a miniature basketball and net in the Unity node on the International Space Station (ISS). Dezhurov represents Rosaviakosmos. This image was taken with a digital still camera.

ISS040-E-130231 (9 Sept. 2014) --- European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst, Expedition 40 flight engineer, installs a microscope for the Cell Mechanosensing-2 experiment in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. The Japanese experiment, which is conducted in Kibos Kobairo rack, seeks to identify gravity sensors in cells that may change the expression of key proteins and genes and allowing muscles to atrophy in microgravity.

ISS029-E-025807 (13 Oct. 2011) --- Robonaut 2 -- the first dexterous humanoid robot in space - is pictured in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Mike Fossum, Expedition 29 commander; and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, flight engineer, (both out of frame) joined forces to conduct the second onboard tests of R2, which was put in motion for the first time in orbit. After performing a coordinated power-up with the ground, the crew maneuvered each arm joint to determine the differences of the microgravity environment by setting control gains through repetitive motions. They also performed an initial vision checkout of the high-def cameras to verify they are working and in focus. The ground then commanded R2 to move to the stow-position while monitoring the motion.

iss064e015251 (12/24/2020) --- NASA astronaut Kate Rubins works inside the Life Sciences Glovebox conducting research for the Cardinal Heart study. The biomedical research seeks to help scientists understand the aging and weakening of heart muscles to provide new treatments for humans on Earth and astronauts in space.

iss056e033143 (June 25, 2018) --- A view during installation the NanoRacks Cubesat Deployer-14 (NRCSD-14) on the Multipurpose Experiment Platform inside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. The NRCSD-14 was then placed in the Kibo airlock and moved outside of the space station to deploy a variety of cubesats into Earth orbit.

Members of the STS-100 crew look over the payload in Space Shuttle Endeavours payload bay. The bay doors are open to the Payload Changeout Room where the payload transfer took place. The crew is at KSC to complete Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that were postponed earlier. The TCDT includes emergency escape training, payload bay walkdown, and a simulated launch countdown. The primary payload comprises the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, and Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, Raffaello. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-100 is targeted for April 19 at 2:41 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A

S124-E-006792 (6 June 2008) --- Astronauts Ken Ham (top), STS-124 pilot, and Greg Chamitoff, Expedition 17 flight engineer, work in the newly installed Kibo Japanese Pressurized Module of the International Space Station while Space Shuttle Discovery is docked with the station.

ISS036-E-016820 (9 July 2013) --- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, Expedition 36 flight engineer, uses a digital still camera to expose a photo of his helmet visor during a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as work continues on the International Space Station. Also visible in the reflections in the visor are various components of the space station and a blue and white portion of Earth. During the six-hour, seven-minute spacewalk, Parmitano and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy (out of frame), flight engineer, prepared the space station for a new Russian module and performed additional installations on the stations backbone.

iss059e038095 (April 30, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Anne McClain works inside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module checking out the new Astrobee hardware. The cube-shaped, free-flying robotic assistant could save the crew time performing routine maintenance duties and providing additional lab monitoring capabilities.

iss055e020134 (4/13/2018) --- Photographic documentation taken in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) during preparations for the install of the Materials ISS Experiment - Flight Facility (MISSEE-FF). The MISSE-FF platform provides the ability to test materials, coatings, and components or other larger experiments in the harsh environment of space, which is virtually impossible to do collectively on Earth.

iss062e103684 (3/21/2020) --- A view of the rack containing CBEF-L (Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L) IU1 and CBEF-L IU2 in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module (JPM). aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L (CBEF-L) is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) new subrack facility, which is an upgraded facility of the original Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS). CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional new resources such as Full High Definition video interface, Ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a larger diameter centrifugal test environment. By using the original CBEF and CBEF-L as one facility for the same experiment, the payload user is provided with an upgraded experimental environment that can handle the processing of more experimental samples for a wider array of experiments.

Technicians check suit pressure for Expedition 13 Science Officer and Flight Engineer Jeffrey N. Williams prior to launch onboard the Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 30. 2006.

Day In The Life of Artemis Employees

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the payload changeout room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-115 crew members look over the mission payload one more time before launch. From left are mission specialists Joseph Tanner, Daniel Burbank, Steven MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency, and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (standing). The mission crew has been at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training, a simulated launch countdown and the payload familiarization. The TCDT is a prelaunch preparation for the mission that is scheduled to lift off in a window opening Aug. 27. During their 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the STS-115 crew will continue construction of the station and attach the payload elements, the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays.

ISS013-E-48752 (6 July 2006) --- In the quest airlock on the International Space Station, two extravehicular mobility unit space suits await a busy day of spacewalking in a couple of days when astronauts Michael E. Fossum and Piers J. Sellers don them, marking the first of three planned sessions of extravehicular activity for the STS-121 crew.

ISS010-E-24914 (17 April 2005) --- View of the interior of the Zvezda Service module from the forward section to the aft end, as photographed by one of the Expedition 10 crewmembers on the International Space Station (ISS).

PHOTO DATE: 04-23-10LOCATION: Bldg 9NW, ISS MockupSUBJECT: Expedition 25 crew members, Kaleri, Skripochka and S. Kelly during routine ops training.

Image was released by astronaut on Twitter.

ISS032-E-011664 (3 Aug. 2012) --- Smokey Bear floats freely in the hatchway of the International Space Stations Destiny laboratory. On May 15, 2012, Smokey traveled aboard the Soyuz spacecraft with NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin to the space station. As a recognized symbol for wildland fire prevention, his presence on the orbiting complex also highlights the many areas of active space station research related to Earth observations, plant growth and combustion and materials sciences, as well as existing spinoff technologies in these areas. NASA, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Texas Forest Service are teaming up to celebrate Smokey's 68th birthday Aug. 9 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

ISS025-E-013964 (11 Nov. 2010) --- NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, Expedition 25 flight engineer, works among stowage containers in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station.

S127-E-006872 (18 July 2009) --- In the International Space Station's Quest airlock, astronauts Dave Wolf (foreground) and Tim Kopra (feet and legs visible in background) are suited and ready for the first of five spacewalks scheduled during the STS-127 mission.

ISS040-E-095615 (17 Aug. 2014) --- Unoccupied Russian Orlan spacesuits for Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev (blue stripes) and Alexander Skvortsov (red stripes), both Expedition 40 flight engineers, are pictured in the Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station on the eve of the spacewalk scheduled for Aug. 18, 2014.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a payload technician dressed in clean room attire, known as a bunny suit, secures the hatch on the International Space Station's Node 3, named Tranquility.Hatch closure follows the completion of preparations for the node's transport to the pad and is a significant milestone in launch processing activities. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission, Tranquility is a pressurized module that will provide room for many of the space station's life support systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations, as well as provide a spectacular view of Earth and other celestial objects. The module was built in Turin, I

View of Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins,both Expedition 38 Flight Engineers (FEs),after egress from airlock (A/L) during International Space Station (ISS) Extravehicular Activity (EVA) 25. Image was released by astronaut on Twitter.

S87-28666 (March 1987) --- Millie Hughes-Fulford, STS-40/SLS-1 payload specialist, stands near the Echocardiograph on Rack 6 of the SLS-1 module, during a rehearsal of experimentation scheduled for her spaceflight.

. iss069e011339 (May 16, 2023) - NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio removes science hardware from inside the Kibo laboratory module's airlock aboard the International Space Station.

International Space Station testing is conducted in Marshall's Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS).

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-110 Mission Specialists Rex Walheim (left) and Steven Smith (right) look over the payload bay of Atlantis during Crew Equipment Integration Test activities, which include familiarization with the vehicle and payload. The mission, 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station, includes the Integrated Truss Structure S0. The ITS S0 is the center segment on the Space Station, part of the 300-foot (91-meter) truss attached to the U.S. Lab. By assembly completion, four more truss segments will attach to either side of the S0 truss. STS-110 is scheduled to launch April 4, 2002

. iss070e00391 (Sept. 28, 2023) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral O'Hara removes space physics research hardware from inside the Destiny laboratory module's Microgravity Science Glovebox aboard the International Space Station.

ISS026-E-032516 (8 March 2011) --- The Light Microscopy Module (LMM) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station photographed by an Expedition 26 crew member.

STS98-E-5121 (11 February 2001) --- This digital still camera shot shows Expedition One commander William M. (Bill) Shepherd looking through the observation port on Unity's closed hatch to the newly attached Destiny laboratory. Astronauts Kenneth D. Cockrell and Mark L. Polansky appear at the left and right edges, respectively. The crews of Atlantis and the International Space Station opened the laboratory shortly after this photo was made on Feb. 11, and the astronauts and cosmonauts spent the first full day of what are planned to be years of work ahead inside the orbiting science and command center. Shepherd opened the Destiny hatch, and he and shuttle commander Cockrell ventured inside at 8:38 a.m. (CST), Feb. 11. As depicted in subsequent digital images in this series, members of both crews went to work quickly inside the new module, activating air systems, fire extinguishers, alarm systems, computers and internal communications. The crew also continued equipment transfers from t

ISS036-E-027932 (2 Aug. 2013) --- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Expedition 36 flight engineer, works with an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the flight deck of space shuttle Atlantis, STS-122 crew members inspect the cables for cameras used on their flight. At left is Leland Melvin and at right is Stanley Love, both mission specialists. The STS-122 mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch at 2:45 p.m. Feb. 7 with a crew of seven. Atlantis will carry the Columbus Laboratory, Europe's largest contribution to the construction of the station. Columbus will support scientific and technological research in a microgravity environment. Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to the Harmony module to carry out experiments in materials science, fluid physics and biosciences, as well as to perform a number of technological applications.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, a technician loads replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to Discoverys manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31.

S130-E-007594 (13 Feb. 2010) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 22 flight engineer, uses a video camera in the newly-installed Tranquility node of the International Space Station while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station. NASA astronauts George Zamka (right), STS-130 commander; Jeffrey Williams (center), Expedition 22 commander; and Stephen Robinson, STS-130 mission specialist, are visible in the background.

USA, Florida, Kennedy Space Center, Apollo lunar module interior

S131-E-007274 (7 April 2010) --- NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, STS-131 mission specialist, uses a handheld laser ranging device -- designed to measure the range between two spacecraft -- through one of the overhead windows on the aft flight deck of space shuttle Discovery during flight day three activities.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers attach the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2) , above, to the second stage of the Delta II rocket, below. MER-2 is one of NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-2 is scheduled to launch no earlier than June 8 as MER-A.

ISS035-E-037044 (11 May 2013) --- Expedition 35 Flight Engineers Chris Cassidy takes a self portrait, as he and Tom Marshburn (seen partially in Cassidy's helmet visor) accomplished a space walk on May 11 to inspect and replace a pump controller box on the International Space Stations far port truss (P6) leaking ammonia coolant. The two NASA astronauts began the 5-hour, 30-minute space walk at 8:44 a.m. and completed it at 2:14 p.m. EDT.

ISS036-E-029521 (7 Aug. 2013) --- In the International Space Stations Kibo laboratory, NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, Expedition 36 flight engineer, conducts a session with a pair of bowling-ball-sized free-flying satellites known as Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES. Nyberg and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy (not pictured) put the miniature satellites through their paces for a dry run of the SPHERES Zero Robotics tournament scheduled for Aug. 13. Teams of middle school students from Florida, Georgia, Idaho and Massachusetts will gather at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge to see which teams algorithms do the best job of commanding the free-flying robots through a series of maneuvers and objectives.

ISS020-E-023358 (22 July 2009) ---This is a view of the Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility which has been a major subject of attention by the joint crews aboard the International Space Station, currently docked with the Space Shuttle Endeavour. July 22 activity saw both hands-on and robotics work with the new hardware.

ISS015-E-06679 (5 May 2007) --- Cosmonaut Fyodor N. Yurchikhin, Expedition 15 commander representing Russia's Federal Space Agency, uses a still camera to photograph the topography of a point on Earth from a window in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

ISS040-E-018572 (24 June 2014) --- Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev (left) and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, both Expedition 40 flight engineers, conduct a session of the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites Zero Robotics (SPHERES ZR) program in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station.

ISS013-E-49645 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, used a digital still camera to expose a photo of his helmet visor during today's session of extravehicular activity (EVA) while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the International Space Station. Also visible in the reflections in the visor are fellow spacewalker Piers J. Sellers, mission specialist, Earth's horizon and a station solar array.

ISS041-E-000033 (10 Sept. 2014) --- A section of the Russian segment of the International Space Station is photographed by an Expedition 41 crew member aboard the space station.

ISS040-E-064624 (15 July 2014) --- NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, Expedition 40 commander, replaces filters in the Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, flight engineer, works in the background.

In this photograph, Astronaut James Voss, flight engineer of Expedition Two, performs a task at a work station in the International Space Station (ISS) Destiny Laboratory, or U.S. Laboratory, as Astronaut Scott Horowitz, STS-105 mission commander, floats through the hatchway leading to the Unity node. After spending five months aboard the orbital outpost, the ISS Expedition Two crew was replaced by Expedition Three and returned to Earth aboard the STS-105 Space Shuttle Discovery on August 22, 2001. The Orbiter Discovery was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on August 10, 2001.

jsc2020e040981 (9/4/2019) --- I view of the IVA-SOFPADS floating inside the Kibo module aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The objective of the Smart Optical Fibers for Passive Dosimetry in Space (SOFPADS), or Fiber Dosimeter, investigation is to evaluate the use of fabricated optical fibers as space radiation passive dosimeters to monitor the radiation environment inside and outside of the International Space Station (ISS).

ISS032-E-024548 (28 Aug. 2012) --- Robonaut 2 humanoid robot prepares to grasp a handrail during another system checkout in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

View of internal airlock (A/L) in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module (JPM). Photo was taken during Expedition 34.

iss058e004610 (1/20/2019) --- A View of the Destiny US Laboratory aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The U.S. Laboratory Module, called Destiny, is the primary research laboratory for U.S. payloads, supporting a wide range of experiments and studies contributing to health, safety, and quality of life for people all over the world. Science conducted on the ISS offers researchers an unparalleled opportunity to test physical processes in the absence of gravity. The results of these experiments will allow scientists to better understand our world and ourselves and prepare us for future missions. Destiny provides internal interfaces to accommodate 24 equipment racks for accommodation and control of ISS systems and scientific research.

S116-E-05602 (11 Dec. 2006) --- Astronaut William A. (Bill) Oefelein, STS-116 pilot, floats through the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the station.

iss050e029074 (1/7/2017) --- A large selection of cameras and lenses are available to take Crew Earth Observations (CEO) photos. These cameras are in the Services Module part of the Russian Segment and near one of the windows used for Earth photography. CEO imagery provides researchers on Earth with key data to understand the planet from the perspective of the ISS. Crew members have been photographing Earth from space since the early Mercury missions beginning in 1961. The images taken from the ISS ensure this record remains unbroken.

ISS034-E-013990 (2 Jan. 2013) --- In the International Space Stations Destiny laboratory, Robonaut 2 is pictured during a round of testing for the first humanoid robot in space. Ground teams put Robonaut through its paces as they remotely commanded it to operate valves on a task board. Robonaut is a testbed for exploring new robotic capabilities in space, and its form and dexterity allow it to use the same tools and control panels as its human counterparts do aboard the station.

ISS038-E-021630 (28 Dec. 2013) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 38 flight engineer, uses a still camera to photograph the topography of a point on Earth from a window in the Cupola of the International Space Station.

JSC2010-E-194300 (4 Dec. 2010) --- STS-134 crew members participate in an ingress/egress training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Pictured are NASA astronauts Mark Kelly, commander; Gregory H. Johnson, pilot; Andrew Feustel, Michael Fincke and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori, all mission specialists. Not pictured is NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff, mission specialist.

Forward (FWD) view of the Functional Cargo Block (FGB). Photo was taken during Expedition 34.

"DESTINY". Módulo laboratorio lanzado para incorporarse a la estación espacial internacional el 7 de febrero de 2001. Museo del Vuelo. Seattle. Estado de Washington. Estados Unidos.

iss052e006450 (Jun. 23, 2017) --- Microbial Tracking-2 by the toilet in the node 3 module monitoring microbes present to assess the health environment on the International Space Station (ISS) and understand the effects of the spaceflight environment on viral and microbial pathogen dynamics.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers in Endeavour's payload bay look at the site of the scrape on the surface of the honeycomb shell on the robotic arm that occurred while work platforms were being installed to gain access to repair the oxygen leak in the Shuttle's mid-body. The site will be cut out and ultrasound testing will be done on the structure underneath. Launch of Endeavour on mission STS-113 has been postponed until no earlier than Nov. 22.

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