List of space stations

An image of the International Space Station. The silver-colored center module is dark blue, surrounded by four golden solar arrays on each side. The sun is reflecting off of the set to the left. In the background is the outline of the Earth.
The International Space Station in front of the Earth. This image was taken by space shuttle Discovery while pulling away during STS-119.
An image of Skylab. The left side of the frame is dominated by a communications array, painted white with a cylindrical satellite dish on top. On they right is a brown-grey cylinder, which is the main station. No solar arrays are visible.
Skylab viewed from the command module of Skylab 2

A space station is a manned satellite designed to remain in low Earth orbit for a long period of time. In general, space stations have the ability for other spacecraft to dock to them. As of 2012, the International Space Station and Tiangong 1 are the only operational space stations currently in orbit. Previous stations include the Salyut and Almaz series, Skylab, and, most recently, Mir.[1]

Space stations are used to study the effects of long-term space flight on the human body. They also serve as a platform for extended scientific studies.[2] All space stations have been designed with the intention of rotating multiple crews, with each crew member staying aboard the station for weeks or months, but rarely more than a year. As of 2012, Vladimir Titov, Musa Manarov, and Valeriy Polyakov have completed single missions of over a year, all aboard Mir.[3]

Space stations have been used for both military and civilian purposes. The first military-use space station was Salyut 2, which was launched by the Soviet Almaz program in 1973.[4] The Soviet Union also claimed the first civilian space station with the launch of Salyut 1. As of 2012, Russia, China, and private companies are building space stations.

Past stations

These stations have re-entered the atmosphere and disintegrated.

The Soviet Union ran two programs simultaneously, both of which were known to the outside world as Salyut. The Long Duration Orbital Station (DOS) program was intended for scientific research into spaceflight. The Almaz program was a secret military program that tested space reconnaissance tactics.[5]

double-dagger Never manned
Name Entity Program Crew size Launched Reentered Days
in orbit		 Days
occupied		 Total crew
and visitors		 Number of
manned visits		 Number of
unmanned visits		 Mass Pressurized volume
Salyut 1 Soviet Union USSR DOS[6] 3[7] 19 April 1971[8] 11 October 1971[9] 175 24[10] 6[11] 2[11] 0[11] 18,425 kg (40,620 lb)[8] 100 m3 (3,500 cu ft)[12]
DOS-2double-dagger Soviet Union USSR DOS[13] —[lower-alpha 1] 29 July 1972[8][14] 29 July 1972 (failed to reach orbit) — — — — — 18,000 kg (40,000 lb)[15] —
Salyut 2double-dagger Soviet Union USSR Almaz[14] —[lower-alpha 1] 3 April 1973[14] 16 April 1973[14] 13[14] — — — — 18,500 kg (40,800 lb)[16] —
Kosmos 557double-dagger Soviet Union USSR DOS[17] —[lower-alpha 1] 11 May 1973[18] 22 May 1973[19] 11 — — — — 19,400 kg (42,800 lb)[15] —
Skylab United States NASA Skylab[20] 3[21] 14 May 1973[22] 11 July 1979[23] 2249 171[24] 9[25] 3[26] 0[27] 77,088 kg (169,950 lb)[28] 360 m3 (12,700 cu ft)[29]
Salyut 3 Soviet Union USSR Almaz[6] 2[30] 25 May 1974[31] 24 January 1975[32] 213 15[33] 2[33] 1[33] 0 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)
(at launch)[34]		 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[17]
Salyut 4 Soviet Union USSR DOS[35] 2[36] 26 December 1974[37] 3 February 1977[37] 770[37] 92[38] 4[38] 2[38][39] 1[38] 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)[17]
(at launch)		 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[17]
Salyut 5 Soviet Union USSR Almaz[35] 2[40] 22 June 1976[41] 8 August 1977[42] 412 67[43] 4[43] 3[43] 0[43] 19,000 kg (42,000 lb)[17]
(at launch)		 100 m3 (3,500 cu ft)[17]
Salyut 6 Soviet Union USSR DOS[35] 2[44] 29 September 1977[44] 29 July 1982[45] 1764 683[46] 33[46] 16[46] 14[46] 9,000 kg (20,000 lb)[47] 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[48]
Salyut 7 Soviet Union USSR DOS[35] 3[49] 19 April 1982[50] 7 February 1991[50] 3216[50] 861[49] 22[49] 10[49] 15[49] 19,000 kg (42,000 lb)[51] 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[17]
Mir
DOS[52] 3[53] 19 February 1986[54][lower-alpha 2] 23 March 2001[23][54] 5511[54] 4594[55] 125[55] 39[56] 68[55] 129,700 kg (285,900 lb)[57] 350 m3 (12,400 cu ft)[58]

Prototypes

These stations are prototypes; they only exist as testing platforms and will never be manned. OPS 0855 was part of a cancelled Manned Orbiting Laboratory project by the United States, while the Genesis stations were launched privately and remain in orbit.

Name Entity Program Launched Reentered Days in orbit Mass Pressurized volume
OPS 0855 United States US Air Force MOL 3 November 1966[59] 9 January 1967[59] 67 9,680 kg (21,340 lb) 11.3 m3 (400 cu ft)
Genesis I Bigelow Aerospace 12 July 2006[60] (In Orbit) 3478 1,360 kg (3,000 lb)[61] 11.5 m3 (410 cu ft)[62]
Genesis II Bigelow Aerospace 28 June 2007[60] (In Orbit) 3127 1,360 kg (3,000 lb)[61] 11.5 m3 (406 cu ft)[62]

Operational stations

These stations are currently orbiting Earth. They have life support systems in place.

Name Entity Crew size Launched Days in
orbit[lower-alpha 3]		 Days
occupied[lower-alpha 4]		 Total crew
and visitors[lower-alpha 4]		 Manned
visits[lower-alpha 4]		 Unmanned
visits[lower-alpha 4]		 Mass Pressurized
volume
International Space Station
6[63] 20 November 1998[63][lower-alpha 2] 6269 5558[64] 215[64] 75 [65] 72 [65] 417,289 kg (919,965 lb)[66] 907 m3 (32,000 cu ft)[67]
Tiangong 1 China CNSA 3[68] 29 September 2011[69][70] 1573 25[71] 6[71][72] 2[71] 1[73] 8,506 kg (18,753 lb)[74] 15 m3 (530 cu ft)[75]

Planned stations

These space stations have been announced by their host entity and are currently in active development or production. The launch date listed here may change as more information becomes available.

Name Entity Planned
crew size		 Planned
launch date
Tiangong 2 China CNSA 3[76] 2016[77]
Space Complex Alpha (private)[lower-alpha 5] 3+[78] 2017 or later[79]
Space Complex Bravo (private)[lower-alpha 5] 24[80] 2017 or later[81]
Tiangong 3 China CNSA 3[82] 2022[83]
Orbital Piloted Assembly and Experiment Complex
(OPSEK)		 Russia RFSA Unknown Pre-ISS deorbit[84]
Chinese space station
(to be named at a later date)[85]		 China CNSA 3[86] After Tiangong 3
Almaz commercial (private)[lower-alpha 6] 4 or more[87]

Canceled projects

A mockup of the inside of Skylab at the Smithsonian, based on the Skylab B module. In the center, a dummy dressed in a gold jumpsuit sits at a table. Behind him are white cabinets that hold the crews equipment. Off to the right, a porthole shows a view of the Smithsonian.
An image of the interior of Skylab B, on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

These projects were canceled by their owner.

Space station Entity Crew size Launch date Remarks
Manned Orbiting Laboratory 1-7 United States NASA 2[88] Mockup launched 3 November 1966[89]
(In orbit 40 days, cancelled after launch)[90]		 Canceled due to excessive costs[91]
Skylab B United States NASA 3[92] Between 1975 and 1979 (planned)[93] Canceled due to lack of funding[94]
Galaxy (private)[lower-alpha 5] Unmanned[95] late 2008 (planned)[95] Canceled due to rising costs and ability to ground test key Galaxy subsystems[96]
Mir-2 Russia RFSA 2 [97] 1993[98] Canceled due to financial difficulties[98]
Freedom United States NASA 14-16[99] March 1994[100] Converted into the International Space Station[100]

Timeline

Tiangong 1 Genesis II Genesis I International Space Station Mir Salyut 7 Salyut 6 Salyut 5 Salyut 4 Salyut 3 Skylab Cosmos 557 Salyut 2 DOS-2 Salyut 1 OPS 0855

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 The USSR intended to man this station, however; it re-entered the atmosphere before the cosmonauts were launched.
  2. 1 2 Launch date of the initial module. Additional modules for this station were launched later.
  3. ↑ Correct as of 19 January 2016
  4. 1 2 3 4 Statistics are current as of 12 May 2012
  5. 1 2 3 Bigelow Aerospace, LLC.
  6. ↑ Excalibur Almaz

References

  1. ↑ "A history of space stations". Cable News Network. 23 November 1998. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Space Stations". Oracle Thinkquest. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "A History of Manned Space Missions". National Earth Science Teachers Association. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "Space Stations, Space Agencies, Space Laboratories, Space Obervatory, Space Missions". Space Station Info. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "The Station: Russian Space History". PBS. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  6. 1 2 Harland, David Michael (2005). The Story Of Space Station Mir. Springer. p. 351. ISBN 9780387230115. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Space Stations". ThinkQuest. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 "Salyut 1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved January 2012.
  9. ↑ Tony Long (19 April 2011). "April 19, 1971: Soviets Put First Space Station Into Orbit". Wired Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  10. ↑ "Space Station". World Almanac Education Group Inc. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 Vic Stathopoulos. "The first Space Station - Salyut 1". aerospaceguide.net. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  12. ↑ Gibbons, John H. (2008). Salyut: Soviet steps toward permanent human presence in space. DIANE Publishing. p. 15. ISBN 9781428924017. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  13. ↑ Ivanovich, Ivanovich (2008). Salyut: the first space station : triumph and tragedy. Germany: Springer. p. 329. ISBN 978-0-387-73585-6. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Zimmerman, Robert (2003). Leaving Earth. Washington, DC, United States: Joseph Henry Press. p. 84. ISBN 0-309-08548-9.
  15. 1 2 "Salyut". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  16. ↑ "Saylut 2". NASA. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D.S.F. Portree (1995). "Mir Hardware Heritage" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 30 November 2010. (Full text available on Wikisource)
  18. ↑ "NASA – NSSDC – Spacecraft – Trajectory Details". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  19. ↑ "Large Uncontrolled Reentries". planet4589.org. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  20. ↑ Harris, Harris (2008). Space Enterprise: Living and Working Offworld in the 21st Century. Springer. p. 582. ISBN 978-0-387-77639-2. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  21. ↑ Collins, Martin, ed. (2007). After Sputnik: 50 Years of the Space Age. United States: Smithsonian Institution with Harper Collins Books. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-06-089781-9.
  22. ↑ "Skylab". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  23. 1 2 Stewart Taggart (22 March 2001). "The Day the Sky(lab) Fell". Wired Magazine. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  24. ↑ "Modest Beginnings: Salyut and Skylab – The Architecture of Space Stations, Optimizing Internal Space, Engineering for Weightlesness". Science Clarified. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  25. ↑ "Skylab 30 Years Later". Space Daily. 11 November 2003. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  26. ↑ Tony Long (11 July 2008). "July 11, 1979: Look Out Below! Here Comes Skylab!". Wired Magazine. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  27. ↑ Oberg, Jame (1992). "Skylab's Untimely Fate". Air & Space. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  28. ↑ "BBC – Solar System – Skylab (pictures, video, facts & news)". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  29. ↑ Zimmerman, Robert (2003). Leaving Earth. Washington, DC, United States: Joseph Henry Press. p. 51. ISBN 0-309-08548-9.
  30. ↑ Furniss, Tim (2003). A History of Space Exploration: And Its Future... 2003. p. 200. ISBN 9781585746507. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Salyut-3 (OPS-2)". Russian Space Web. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  32. ↑ "Largest Objects to Reenter". Aerospace Corporation. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  33. 1 2 3 "Resident Crews of Salyut 3". spacefacts.de. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  34. ↑ "Skylab". University of Oregon. Retrieved 31 January 2012. (Lecture at the University of Oregon, Salyut 3 is mentioned later in the lecture)
  35. 1 2 3 4 Dudley-Rowley, Marilyn (2006). "The Mir Crew Safety Record: Implications for Space Colonization". American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics: 2.
  36. ↑ "Salyut 4". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  37. 1 2 3 "Salyut-4". Aerospaceguide. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  38. 1 2 3 4 "The DOS Space Stations: Salyut 4". Zarya.info. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  39. ↑ "Spaceflight :Soviet Space Stations". Centennial of Flight. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  40. ↑ "Soyuz 21". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  41. ↑ "OPS-3 (Salyut-5) space station". Russian Space Web. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  42. ↑ "Sixth Salyut Space Station Launched". Science News 112 (15): 229. 1977. doi:10.2307/3962473. JSTOR 3962472. (requires JSTOR access)
  43. 1 2 3 4 "Salyut 5". Aerospaceguide. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  44. 1 2 "Salyut 6". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  45. ↑ Robert Christy. "The DOS Space Stations: Expedition 5 (1981) and The End". Zarya. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  46. 1 2 3 4 "Salyut 6". Aerospaceguide. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  47. ↑ "Salyut 6 (craft information)". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  48. ↑ "Salyut 6". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 "Salyut 7". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  50. 1 2 3 "Summary of Recovered Reentry Debris". Aerospace Corporation. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  51. ↑ "Salyut 7". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  52. ↑ Ivanovich, Grujica S. (2008). Salyut: The First Space Station : Triumph and Tragedy. Springer. p. 358. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  53. ↑ Seth Borenstein (16 November 1995). "Atlantis' Astronauts Bear Gifts To Mir Crew". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  54. 1 2 3 Tony Long (19 February 2008). "Feb. 19, 1986: Mir, the Little Space Station That Could". Wired Magazine. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  55. 1 2 3 "Mir Space Station". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  56. ↑ "Mir". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  57. ↑ "Space Station Mir". SpaceStationInfo. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  58. ↑ Macatangay, Ariel V.; Perry, Ray L. "Cabin Air Quality On Board Mir and the International Space Station—A Comparison" (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  59. 1 2 "Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles". Designation Systems. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  60. 1 2 "The Dnpur launcher". Russian Space Web. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  61. 1 2 Alan Boyle. "Private space station test delayed till May". MSNBC. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  62. 1 2 Tariq Malik and Leonard David. "Bigelow's Second Orbital Module Launches Into Space". Space.com. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  63. 1 2 "International Space Station, ISS Information, Space Station Facts, News, Photos – National Geographic". National Geographic. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  64. 1 2 "Facts and Figures". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  65. 1 2 "A timeline of ISS missions". Russian Space Web. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  66. ↑ "The ISS to Date". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  67. ↑ Public Broadcasting Station. "Space Station | FYI | ISS Fact Sheet". PBS. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  68. ↑ Stephen Clark. "Chinese rocket successfully launches mini-space lab". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  69. ↑ Ken Kremer. "China Blasts First Space Lab Tiangong 1 to Orbit". universetoday.com. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  70. ↑ "China Successfully Launches 1st Space Lab Module". Arabia 2000. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  71. 1 2 3 "Shenzhou 9 Docks with Tiangong 1". BBC. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  72. ↑ Shenzhou 10#Crew
  73. ↑ Amos, Jonathan (2 November 2011). "Chinese spacecraft dock in orbit". BBC News. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  74. ↑ "Tiangong". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  75. ↑ "Chinese Space Program | Tiangong 1 | SinoDefence.com". SinoDefence.com. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  76. ↑ Leonard David. "China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals | Chinese Space Station, Shenzhou Space Capsules | Chinese Space Program, Space Exploration | Space.com". Space.com. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  77. ↑ http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinas_Space_Station_is_Still_On_Track_999.html
  78. ↑ Kenric Ward. "Nevada Aerospace Company Aims for Florida: Bigelow eyes launch of commercial space stations from Cape Canaveral". Sunshine State News. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  79. ↑ http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/02/bigelow-moon-property-create-lunar-industry/
  80. ↑ Tim O'Reiley. "Las Vegas entrepreneur wants to upgrade space modules". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  81. ↑ http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/02/bigelow-moon-property-create-lunar-industry/
  82. ↑ Morris Jones. "Tiangong Space Lab Spurs China Space PR Blitz". spacedaily.com. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  83. ↑ http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinas_Space_Station_is_Still_On_Track_999.html
  84. ↑ Anatoly Zak (22 May 2009). "Russia 'to save its ISS modules'". BBC News. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  85. ↑ Xin Dingding. "Countdown begins for space station program". China Daily. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  86. ↑ "Chinese Space Station". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  87. ↑ "NASA outlines the next phase for its space taxi program". MSNBC. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  88. ↑ Collins, Martin, ed. (2007). After Sputnik: 50 Years of the Space Age. New York: Smithsonian Institution in association with Harper-Collins Publishers. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-06-089781-9.
  89. ↑ Steven Siceloff. "Spacesuits Open Doors to MOL History". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  90. ↑ "MOL". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  91. ↑ "Spaceflight :The International Space Station and Its Predecessors". centennialofflight.net. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  92. ↑ Shayler, David; Burgess, Colin (2007). NASA'S scientist-astronauts. Springer. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-387-21897-7. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  93. ↑ Shayler, David (15 June 2001). "Revisit, reboost and reentry, 1974-1979". Skylab: America's space station (Paperback) (1st ed.). Springer. p. 303. ISBN 978-1-85233-407-9. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  94. ↑ astronautix.com. "Skylab B". astronautix.com. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  95. 1 2 Dan Cohen. "Developing a Galaxy". Bigelow Aerospace, LLC. Retrieved 23 November 2007. (page has been taken down, link is to an archived version)
  96. ↑ SPACE.com Staff. "Bigelow Aerospace Fast-Tracks Manned Spacecraft | Space.com". space.com. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  97. ↑ "ISS Elements: Service Module ("Zvezda")". spaceref.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  98. 1 2 "Mir-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  99. ↑ "Space Station Freedom". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  100. 1 2 David S. F. Portree. "Space Station Columbia (1991)". wired.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.

External links

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