Do you want to track the ISS online and be ready to watch the station in time? But how do you know when the ISS will fly over your house or garden? Here are the best online services for this.

Firstly, NASA has a site called Quick and Easy Observations, where you simply find your country and city, after which the date is displayed, the local time, observation duration and ISS approach data so as not to miss the station in the sky. True, there is one drawback - not for all countries and cities it is possible to determine the online coordinates of the ISS. So, for example, for Russia only big cities: St. Petersburg, Moscow, Volgograd, Tver, Tula, Samara, Stavropol, Pskov, Krasnodar, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Rostov, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk, Vladivostok and other cities. In other words, if you live in a small town, you can only rely on the information for the city closest to you.

Secondly, the Heavens Above website is also an excellent resource for finding out when the ISS, as well as all sorts of other satellites, is flying overhead in the sky. Unlike the NASA website, Sky-Above allows you to enter your exact latitude and longitude. Thus, if you live in a remote area, you can get exact time and location to start looking for satellites on your own. The site also offers registration to visitors to expand the possibilities and convenience of its use.

Thirdly, Spaceweather has its own Satellite Page which provides information to the US and Canada. But you can also use this link for other countries. Interestingly, you can set the calculation of coordinates not only for the ISS, but also, for example, for the Hubble telescope or satellites. For the countries of the North American continent, you only need to enter the ZIP code and select the object. For other continents, you select Country - Region/State - Locality. For example, I managed to find the coordinates of satellites and the ISS for Moscow Khimki. However, this site is often overloaded, as it is very popular with amateur observers.

There is also this very cool ISS movement monitoring from Google. You cannot set the data for calculating the time and coordinates of the ISS location, but you have the opportunity to monitor the movement of the station online.

The flight path of the International Space Station in real time can also be tracked on a special page of the official website of the Russian Space Flight Control Center (you will need to install the Java (TM) plugin for this). In addition to the flight path, you can learn about the orientation of the International Space Station, look into the archive of ISS flights and much more.

Additionally, you may receive a notification on Twitter when space station will fly over you. To do this, use

Former US President Ronald Reagan in 1984 decided to create a habitable location in low Earth orbit.

But since the project for one country was too expensive and time-consuming, he invited 14 states to join, including Japan, Brazil and Canada. This is how the International Space Station was born. Because of the confrontation with the USA, the USSR was not initially a participant in this project, so our country entered into cooperation only in 1993 (after the collapse of the Soviet Union).

How is the international space station arranged inside?

TV viewers from the news are familiar with such phrases as "compartment of the international space station." The fact is that it has a modular structure, that is, the assembly takes place sequentially by adding the next block. At the moment, the ship consists of 14 blocks, 5 of them are Russian (Zvezda, Pirs, Poisk, Rassvet and Zarya). There are also 7 American modules, Japanese and European.

Purpose of compartments

Astronauts of the International Space Station must not only live on the ship, but also carry out research and experimental work. To provide this possibility, modules are of several types:

• for life support - they carry out water purification and air generation;
• service - for flight control;
• laboratory - for scientific experiments and experiments;
• connecting - perform the functions of a docking node.

Also on the ISS there is a greenhouse for growing fresh herbs, two toilets (both designed by Russian specialists) and other working compartments and rooms for rest and hygiene procedures. The number of compartments, however, as well as their purpose, will certainly change in the future, as the project is constantly evolving, the number of work performed is increasing, which is an invaluable contribution to the development of space.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION(ISS; International Space Station, ISS), a manned orbital spacecraft created and operated in international cooperation, used as a multi-purpose research complex. Orbit parameters: altitude 410–460 km; inclination 51.6°. The ISS has a modular structure; assembly occurs by sequentially attaching to the complex the next module or block delivered into orbit. The modules are created by the countries participating in the project, represented by their space agencies: Canada (Canadian Space Agency, CSA), Russia (Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos), USA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA), Japan (Japanese Aerospace Agency Research, JAXA) and member countries European Space Agency(ECA). The first module of the ISS, Zarya (designed and manufactured in Russia by order of the United States), was launched into orbit on November 20, 1998. The introduction of the Russian service module Zvezda (2000) into the ISS made it possible to operate the station in a continuous manned mode (since November 2, 2000). The ISS provides life support for up to 6 permanent crew members, during visiting expeditions - up to 13 people. After the deployment of the ISS is completed, its dimensions will be 109 × 80 × 38 m, the volume of sealed compartments is 1140 m 3, and the mass is 455 tons.

The main goal of creating the ISS is the possibility of carrying out experiments in near-Earth orbit that require unique space flight conditions (vacuum, microgravity, unattenuated the earth's atmosphere space radiation). The ISS is used to conduct fundamental and applied research in the field of medicine and biology (including space medicine, biotechnology, exobiology), physics (including quantum physics, fluid physics, physics solid body), astronomy (including astrophysics, cosmology), cosmic ray physics, geophysics and remote sensing of the Earth (including climatology, research natural resources, oceanology, environmental monitoring, monitoring emergencies), materials science, space technology and technology, space education, etc. Work is carried out with the help of special. equipment (scientific equipment) operated, as a rule, in sealed compartments of specialized modules-laboratories; part of the equipment for experiments related to solving monitoring problems environment, astronomical and geophysical measurements, automatic Earth observations, long-term exposure in open space is placed on the outer surface of the ISS modules. The use of scientific equipment is based on the principle of its shift (periodic replacement of the delivered equipment at universal workstations that ensure its functioning with the necessary resources).

According to the intergovernmental agreement of 1998, the ISS consists of 2 integrated segments: Russian and American. On horseback 2015, the Russian segment included the Zarya functional cargo module, the Zvezda service module (2000), the Pirs docking compartment (2001) and small research modules - Poisk MIM-2 (2009), Rassvet MIM-1 ( 2010). The Zvezda module is involved in ISS attitude control, provides orbit correction using rocket engines, its axial docking port serves as a port for European cargo ships ATV. MIM-1 is used to increase the number of docking ports for transport manned and cargo ships of the Soyuz and Progress types, to accommodate scientific equipment and store cargo, as well as for Russian crew exits to outer space. In the future, it is planned to deliver Russian modules into orbit: in 2017, the Nauka multi-purpose laboratory module (MLM) for scientific research, which will operate the ERA (ESA) manipulator to carry out work with equipment located on the outer surface of the Russian segment of the ISS, etc.; in 2017–19 - the UM node module and NEM scientific and energy modules.

The American segment consists of Unity node module (USA, 1998), Destiny laboratory module (USA, 2001), Quest airlock chamber (USA, 2001), node modules (for spaceships"Space Shuttle", commercial transport cargo ships "Space X Dragon", "Orbital Sygnus" (USA) and Japanese HTV); module "Harmony" (USA, 2007), research modules "Kibo" (Japan, 2008) and "Columbus" (ESA, 2008); nodal module "Tranquility" (USA, 2010), which includes a specialized compartment for external observations and control of robotic devices "Cupola", equipped with 7 windows; permanent multi-purpose module "Leonardo" (ESA, USA, 2011), as well as a truss structure (the first element was delivered into orbit in 2000). Orientable solar panels (total area 2100 m 2), orientable radiators (total area 580 m 2) are installed on the farm. On the surface of the American segment (farm) it is possible to move the Canadian robotic manipulator systems SSRMS and SPDM.

The parent organization for the creation of segment and its integration with the American segment is OJSC Rocket and Space Corporation Energia named after S.P. Korolev, in the American segment - the Boeing company.

The International Space Station, ISS (eng. International Space Station, ISS) is a manned multi-purpose space research complex.

The following are involved in the creation of the ISS: Russia (Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos); United States (US National Aerospace Agency, NASA); Japan (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA), 18 European countries(European Space Agency, ESA); Canada (Canadian Space Agency, CSA), Brazil (Brazilian Space Agency, AEB).

Start of construction - 1998.

The first module is "Dawn".

Completion of construction (presumably) - 2012.

The end date of the ISS is (presumably) 2020.

Orbit height - 350-460 kilometers from the Earth.

Orbital inclination - 51.6 degrees.

The ISS makes 16 revolutions per day.

The weight of the station (at the time of completion of construction) is 400 tons (for 2009 - 300 tons).

Internal space (at the time of completion of construction) - 1.2 thousand cubic meters.

Length (along the main axis along which the main modules lined up) is 44.5 meters.

Height - almost 27.5 meters.

Width (according to solar panels) - more than 73 meters.

The first space tourists visited the ISS (sent by Roscosmos together with Space Adventures).

In 2007, the flight of the first Malaysian cosmonaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, was organized.

The cost of building the ISS by 2009 amounted to $100 billion.

Flight control:

the Russian segment is carried out from TsUP-M (TsUP-Moscow, the city of Korolev, Russia);

the American segment - from MCC-X (MCC-Houston, the city of Houston, USA).

The work of the laboratory modules included in the ISS is controlled by:

European "Columbus" - Control Center of the European Space Agency (Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany);

Japanese "Kibo" - MCC of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Tsukuba, Japan).

The flight of the European automatic cargo spacecraft ATV Jules Verne, intended for supplying the ISS, was controlled jointly with MCC-M and MCC-X by the Center of the European Space Agency (Toulouse, France).

Technical coordination of work on the Russian Segment of the ISS and its integration with the American Segment is carried out by the Council of Chief Designers under the leadership of the President, General Designer of RSC Energia named after V.I. S.P. Korolev, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yu.P. Semenov.
The Interstate Commission for Flight Support and Operation of Manned Orbital Systems is in charge of preparing and conducting the launch of elements of the ISS Russian Segment.

According to the existing international agreement, each project participant owns its segments on the ISS.

The leading organization for the creation of the Russian segment and its integration with the American segment is RSC Energia im. S.P. Queen, and in the American segment - the company "Boeing" ("Boeing").

About 200 organizations take part in the manufacture of elements of the Russian segment, including: Russian Academy sciences; plant of experimental engineering RSC "Energia" them. S.P. Queen; rocket and space plant GKNPTs them. M.V. Khrunichev; GNP RCC "TsSKB-Progress"; Design Bureau of General Engineering; RNII of space instrumentation; Research Institute of Precision Instruments; RGNI TsPK im. Yu.A. Gagarin.

Russian segment: Zvezda service module; functional cargo block "Zarya"; docking compartment "Pirce".

American segment: node module "Unity" ("Unity"); gateway module "Quest" ("Quest"); laboratory module "Destiny" ("Destiny").

Canada has created a manipulator for the ISS on the LAB module - a 17.6-meter robot arm "Canadarm" ("Canadarm").

Italy supplies the ISS with the so-called Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules (MPLM). By 2009, three of them were made: "Leonardo", "Raffaello", "Donatello" ("Leonardo", "Raffaello", "Donatello"). These are large cylinders (6.4 x 4.6 meters) with a docking station. The empty logistics module weighs 4.5 tons and can be loaded with up to 10 tons of experimental equipment and consumables.

The delivery of people to the station is provided by Russian Soyuz and American shuttles (reusable shuttles); cargo is delivered by Russian "Progress" and American shuttles.

Japan created its first scientific orbital laboratory, which became the largest module of the ISS - "Kibo" (translated from Japanese as "Hope", the international abbreviation is JEM, Japanese Experiment Module).

By order of the European Space Agency, a consortium of European aerospace firms made the Columbus research module. It is intended for conducting physical, material science, biomedical and other experiments in the absence of gravity. By order of ESA, the Harmony module was made, which connects the Kibo and Columbus modules, as well as provides their power supply and data exchange.

Additional modules and devices were also made on the ISS: a module for the root segment and gyrodins at node-1 (Node 1); power module (section SB AS) on Z1; mobile service system; device for moving equipment and crew; device "B" of the equipment and crew movement system; trusses S0, S1, P1, P3/P4, P5, S3/S4, S5, S6.

All ISS laboratory modules have standardized racks for mounting units with experimental equipment. Over time, the ISS will acquire new nodes and modules: the Russian segment should be replenished with a scientific and energy platform, the Enterprise multipurpose research module (Enterprise) and the second functional cargo block (FGB-2). On the Node 3 module, the "Cupola" assembly built in Italy will be mounted. This is a dome with a number of very large windows through which the inhabitants of the station, like in a theater, will be able to observe the arrival of ships and control the work of their colleagues in outer space.

History of the creation of the ISS

Work on the International Space Station began in 1993.

Russia offered the US to join forces in the implementation of manned programs. By that time, Russia had a 25-year history of operation of the Salyut and Mir orbital stations, as well as invaluable experience in conducting long-term flights, research, and a developed space infrastructure. But by 1991, the country was in a difficult economic situation. At the same time, the creators of the Freedom orbital station (USA) also experienced financial difficulties.

On March 15, 1993, the general director of the Roscosmos agency, Yu.N. Koptev and general designer NPO Energia Yu.P. Semenov approached the head of NASA, Goldin, with a proposal to create the International Space Station.

September 2, 1993 Prime Minister Russian Federation Viktor Chernomyrdin and US Vice President Al Gore signed the "Joint Statement on Cooperation in Space", which provided for the creation of a joint station. On November 1, 1993, the "Detailed work plan for the International Space Station" was signed, and in June 1994, a contract between NASA and Roscosmos "On supplies and services for the Mir station and the International Space Station" was signed.

The initial stage of construction provides for the creation of a functionally complete plant structure from a limited number of modules. The first to be launched into orbit by the Proton-K launch vehicle was the Zarya functional cargo block (1998), made in Russia. The shuttle was delivered by the second ship and docked with the functional cargo block the American docking module Node-1 - "Unity" (December 1998). The third was the Russian service module Zvezda (2000), which provides station control, life support for the crew, station orientation and orbit correction. The fourth is the American laboratory module "Destiny" (2001).

The first prime crew of the ISS, who arrived at the station on November 2, 2000 on the Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft: William Shepherd (USA), ISS commander, flight engineer-2 of the Soyuz-TM-31 spacecraft; Sergey Krikalev (Russia), Soyuz-TM-31 flight engineer; Yuri Gidzenko (Russia), ISS pilot, Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft commander.

The duration of the flight of the ISS-1 crew was about four months. Its return to Earth was carried out by the American Space Shuttle, which delivered the crew of the second main expedition to the ISS. The Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft remained a part of the ISS for half a year and served as a rescue ship for the crew working on board.

In 2001, the P6 power module was installed on the Z1 root segment, the Destiny laboratory module, the Quest airlock, the Pirs docking compartment, two cargo telescopic booms, and a remote manipulator were delivered into orbit. In 2002, the station was replenished with three truss structures (S0, S1, P6), two of which are equipped with transport devices for moving the remote manipulator and astronauts while working in outer space.

The construction of the ISS was suspended due to the crash of the American spacecraft Columbia on February 1, 2003, and in 2006 construction work was resumed.

In 2001 and twice in 2007, computers failed in the Russian and American segments. In 2006, smoke occurred in the Russian segment of the station. In the fall of 2007, the station crew carried out repair work on the solar battery.

New sections of solar panels were delivered to the station. At the end of 2007, the ISS was replenished with two pressurized modules. In October, the Discovery shuttle STS-120 brought the Harmony Node-2 connection module into orbit, which became the main berth for the shuttles.

The European laboratory module Columbus was put into orbit on the Atlantis spacecraft STS-122 and, with the help of the manipulator of this spacecraft, was put into its regular place (February 2008). Then the Japanese Kibo module was introduced into the ISS (June 2008), its first element was delivered to the ISS by the Endeavor shuttle STS-123 (March 2008).

Prospects for the ISS

According to some pessimistic experts, the ISS is a waste of time and money. They believe that the station has not yet been built, but is already outdated.

However, in the implementation of the long-term program space flights to the Moon or to Mars, mankind cannot do without the ISS.

Since 2009, the permanent crew of the ISS will be increased to 9 people, and the number of experiments will increase. Russia has planned to conduct 331 experiments on the ISS in the coming years. The European Space Agency (ESA) and its partners have already built a new transport ship - the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which will be launched into the base orbit (300 kilometers high) by the Ariane-5 ES ATV rocket, from where the ATV will go into orbit due to its engines ISS (400 kilometers above the Earth). The payload of this automatic ship with a length of 10.3 meters and a diameter of 4.5 meters is 7.5 tons. This will include experimental equipment, food, air and water for the ISS crew. The first of the ATV series (September 2008) was named "Jules Verne". After docking with the ISS in automatic mode, the ATV can work in its composition for six months, after which the ship is loaded with garbage and in a controlled mode is flooded into pacific ocean. It is planned to launch ATVs once a year, and at least 7 of them will be built in total. The Japanese H-II "Transfer Vehicle" (HTV) automatic truck, launched into orbit by the Japanese H-IIB launch vehicle, which is still being developed, will join the ISS program. . The total weight of the HTV will be 16.5 tons, of which 6 tons is the payload for the station. It will be able to stay docked to the ISS for up to one month.

Obsolete shuttles will be decommissioned in 2010, and the new generation will appear no earlier than 2014-2015.
By 2010, the Russian manned Soyuz will be modernized: first of all, they will replace the electronic control and communication systems, which will increase the ship's payload by reducing the weight of electronic equipment. The updated "Union" will be able to be part of the station for almost a year. The Russian side will build the Clipper spacecraft (according to the plan, the first test manned flight into orbit is in 2014, commissioning is in 2016). This six-seater reusable winged shuttle is conceived in two versions: with an aggregate-household compartment (ABO) or an engine compartment (DO). The Clipper, which has risen into space to a relatively low orbit, will be followed by the interorbital tug Parom. Ferry is a new development designed to replace the cargo Progresses over time. This tug should pull from the low reference orbit to the ISS orbit the so-called "containers", cargo "barrels" with a minimum of equipment (4-13 tons of cargo), launched into space with the help of Soyuz or Proton. The "Parom" has two docking stations: one for the container, the second - for mooring to the ISS. After the container is put into orbit, the ferry descends to it due to its propulsion system, docks with it and lifts it to the ISS. And after unloading the container, "Parom" lowers it into a lower orbit, where it undocks and slows down on its own to burn up in the atmosphere. The tug will have to wait for a new container to deliver it to the ISS.

RSC Energia official website: http://www.energia.ru/rus/iss/iss.html

The official website of the Boeing Corporation (Boeing): http://www.boeing.com

Mission Control Center official website: http://www.mcc.rsa.ru

Official website of the US National Aerospace Agency (NASA): http://www.nasa.gov

Official website of the European Space Agency (ESA): http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) official website: http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html

Official website of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA): http://www.space.gc.ca/index.html

Official website of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB):

The ISS is the successor to the MIR station, the largest and most expensive object in the history of mankind.

What size orbital station? How much does it cost? How do astronauts live and work on it?

We will talk about this in this article.

What is the ISS and who owns it

The International Space Station (MKS) is an orbital station used as a multipurpose space complex.

This is a scientific project in which 14 countries take part:

• Russian Federation;
• USA;
• France;
• Germany;
• Belgium;
• Japan;
• Canada;
• Sweden;
• Spain;
• Netherlands;
• Switzerland;
• Denmark;
• Norway;
• Italy.

In 1998, the creation of the ISS began. Then the first module was launched Russian missile"Proton-K". Subsequently, other participating countries began to deliver other modules to the station.

Note: in English, the ISS is written as ISS (decoding: International Space Station).

There are people who are convinced that the ISS does not exist, and all space flights are filmed on Earth. However, the reality of the manned station was proven, and the theory of deception was completely refuted by scientists.

The structure and dimensions of the international space station

The ISS is a huge laboratory designed to study our planet. At the same time, the station is home to the astronauts working in it.

The station is 109 meters long, 73.15 meters wide and 27.4 meters high. The total weight of the ISS is 417,289 kg.

How much does an orbital station cost

The cost of the object is estimated at 150 billion dollars. This is by far the most expensive development in human history.

Orbit height and flight speed of the ISS

The average altitude at which the station is located is 384.7 km.

The speed is 27,700 km/h. The station performs a complete revolution around the Earth in 92 minutes.

Time at the station and crew working hours

The station operates according to London time, the working day for the astronauts begins at 6 am. At this time, each crew establishes contact with their country.

Crew reports can be listened to online. The working day ends at 19 pm London time .

Flight path

The station moves around the planet along a certain trajectory. There is a special map that shows which section of the path the ship is passing at a given time. This map also shows different parameters - time, speed, altitude, latitude and longitude.

Why doesn't the ISS fall to Earth? In fact, the object falls to the Earth, but misses, as it constantly moves at a certain speed. It is required to regularly raise the trajectory. As soon as the station loses some of its speed, it gets closer and closer to the Earth.

What is the temperature outside the ISS

The temperature is constantly changing and directly depends on the light and shade environment. In the shade, it stays at about -150 degrees Celsius.

If the station is located under the influence of direct sunlight, then the temperature overboard is +150 degrees Celsius.

Temperature inside the station

Despite fluctuations overboard, the average temperature inside the ship is 23 - 27 degrees Celsius and completely suitable for human habitation.

Astronauts sleep, eat, play sports, work and rest at the end of the working day - the conditions are close to the most comfortable for being on the ISS.

What do astronauts on the ISS breathe?

The primary task in creating the ship was to provide the astronauts with the conditions necessary to maintain proper breathing. Oxygen is obtained from water.

A special system called "Air" takes carbon dioxide and throws him overboard. Oxygen is replenished by electrolysis of water. The station also has oxygen tanks.

How long is the flight from the spaceport to the ISS

In terms of flight time, it takes a little more than 2 days. There is also a short 6-hour scheme (but it is not suitable for cargo ships).

The distance from Earth to the ISS is between 413 and 429 kilometers.

Life on the ISS - what astronauts do

Each crew is scientific experiments by order from the research institutes of their country.

There are several types of such studies:

• educational;
• technical;
• environmental;
• biotechnology;
• biomedical;
• study of living and working conditions in orbit;
• exploration of space and planet Earth;
• physical and chemical processes in space;
• study solar system and others.

Who is on the ISS now

At the moment, the composition continues to keep watch in orbit: Russian cosmonaut Sergei Prokopiev, Serena Auñón-Chancellor from the USA and Alexander Gerst from Germany.

The next launch was scheduled from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on October 11, but due to an accident, the flight did not take place. At the moment, it is not yet known which of the astronauts will fly to the ISS and when.

How to get in touch with the ISS

In fact, anyone has a chance to contact the international space station. This will require special equipment:

• transceiver;
• antenna (for the frequency range of 145 MHz);
• rotary device;
• a computer that will calculate the orbit of the ISS.

Today, every astronaut has high-speed Internet. Most specialists contact friends and family via Skype, maintain personal pages on Instagram and Twitter, Facebook, where they post amazing beautiful pictures our green planet.

How many times does the ISS circle the Earth in a day

The speed of rotation of the ship around our planet - 16 times a day. This means that in one day the astronauts can meet the sunrise 16 times and watch the sunset 16 times.

The rotation speed of the ISS is 27,700 km/h. This speed does not allow the station to fall to Earth.

Where is the ISS at the moment and how to see it from Earth

Many are interested in the question: is it possible to see the ship with the naked eye? Due to the constant orbit and large size, anyone can see the ISS.

You can see the ship in the sky both day and night, but it is recommended to do it at night.

In order to find out the time of flight over your city, you need to subscribe to the NASA newsletter. You can monitor the movement of the station in real time thanks to the special Twisst service.

Conclusion

If you see a bright object in the sky, it is not always a meteorite, comet or star. Knowing how to distinguish the ISS with the naked eye, you definitely can't go wrong with a celestial body.

You can learn more about the ISS news, see the movement of the object on the official website: http://mks-online.ru.