13 November 2011

Cupola


This animation shows the implementation of the window I most want to look through – period. However, while there is little chance of that I can still enjoy watching this wonderful animation made by Master Image Programmes.

Just in case you don’t know, the cupola is an ESA-built observatory module of the International Space Station (ISS). Its seven windows are used to conduct experiments, dockings and observations of Earth. It was launched aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-130 on 8 February 2010 and attached to the Tranquility (Node 3) module. With the Cupola attached, ISS assembly reached 85 percent completeness. The Cupola is the largest window ever used in space – and I would really, really love to look out of it (sigh!).