Manufacture of the International Space Station explained

The project to create the International Space Station required the utilization and/or construction of new and existing manufacturing facilities around the world, mostly in the United States and Europe. The agencies overseeing the manufacturing involved NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, JAXA, and the Canadian Space Agency. Hundreds of contractors[1] working for the five space agencies were assigned the task of fabricating the modules, trusses, experiments and other hardware elements for the station.

The fact that the project involved the co-operation of sixteen countries working together created engineering challenges that had to be overcome: most notably the differences in language, culture and politics, but also engineering processes, management, measuring standards and communication; to ensure that all elements connect together and function according to plan. The ISS agreement program also called for the station components to be made highly durable and versatile — as it is intended to be used by astronauts indefinitely. A series of new engineering and manufacturing processes and equipment were developed, and shipments of steel, aluminium alloys and other materials were needed for the construction of the space station components.

History and planning

The project began as Space Station Freedom, a US only effort, but was long delayed by funding and technical problems. Following the initial 1980's authorization (with an intended ten year construction period) by Ronald Reagan, the Station Freedom concept was designed and renamed in the 1990s to reduce costs and expand international involvement. In 1993, the United States and Russia agreed to merge their separate space station plans into a single facility integrating their respective modules and incorporating contributions from the European Space Agency and Japan.[2] In later months, an international agreement board recruited several more space agencies and companies to collaborate to the project. The International Organization for Standardization played a crucial role in unifying and overcoming different engineering methods (such as measurements and units), languages, standards and techniques to ensure quality, engineering communication and logistical management across all manufacturing activities of the station components.

Engineering designs

Engineering diagrams of various elements of the ISS, with annotations of various parts and systems on each module.

Technical schematics

Manufacturing Information and Processes

List of factories and manufacturing processes used in the construction and fabrication of the International Space Station modular components:

Space Station componentOverseeing agency and contractor(s)Manufacturing
facility 		Materials
used		Manufacturing datedata-sort-type="number" Mass
(kg)		Manufacturing ProcessesFactory view
Zarya (FGB)[3] NASA, Roscosmos Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center 199419,323
Unity (Node 1),[4] PMA-1 & PMA-2NASA Marshall Space Flight Center June 6, 199711,612
Zvezda (Service Module)[5] Roscosmos Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center February 198519,051
Z1 Truss & PMA-3NASA Michoud Assembly Facility 19998,755 (Z1)
P6 Truss & Solar ArraysNASA Michoud Assembly Facility Truss

Solar Arrays

1999/200015,824
Destiny (US Laboratory)[6] NASA Marshall Space Flight Center December 12, 199714,515
External Stowage Platform-1NASA
  • Airbus DS Space Systems
Goddard Space Flight Center[7] Steel20005,760
Canadarm2 (SSRMS)Canadian Space Agency Titanium2000/014,899
  • Seamless rolling
  • Milling
  • Robotic assembly
Quest (Joint Airlock)[8] NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 20006,064
Pirs (Docking Compartment & Airlock)RKK EnergiaKorolyov, Moscow Oblast 19983,580
S0 Truss[9] NASA Michoud Assembly Facility 1998/200013,970
Mobile Base SystemNASA Northrop Grumman factory in Carpinteria, CA 20011,450
S1 Truss and RadiatorsNASA Michoud Assembly Facility June 200214,120
P1 Truss and RadiatorsNASA Michoud Assembly Facility July 200213.748same as S1 Truss
ESP-2NASA
  • Airbus DS Space Systems
Goddard Space Flight Center October 20052,676
P3/P4 Truss & Solar Arrays[10] NASA Michoud Assembly Facility Truss

Solar Arrays

2005/0615,900
P5 Truss[11] NASA Operations and Checkout BuildingAnodized steelFebruary 20071,818
S3/S4 Truss & Solar ArraysNASA Michoud Assembly Facility Same as P3/P4 trussesMay 12, 200515,900Same as P3/P4 trusses
S5 Truss and ESP-3NASA Operations and Checkout Building Steel (some anodized)200713.795Same as P5 and ESP-1 and 2
Harmony (Node 2)
Relocation of P6 Truss		European Space Agency, Italian Space Agency Thales Alenia Space factory in Turin, Italy May 200314,288
Columbus (European Laboratory)[12] European Space Agency European Space Research and Technology Centre April 200612,800
Canadian Space Agency MacDonald Dettwiler (now MDA Space Missions) factory in Brampton Ontario 20041,734
Japanese Logistics Module (ELM-PS)JAXATsukuba Space Center April 2, 20078,386
Japanese Pressurized Module (JEM-PM)
JEM Robotic Arm (JEM-RMS)[14] [15] 		JAXA (formerly NASDA) Tsukuba Space Center November 200515,900 (JEM-PM)
S6 Truss & Solar ArraysNASA Michoud Assembly Facilitysame as P4/S4 truss and solar arrays2006/0715,900same as P4/S4 truss and solar arrays
Japanese Exposed Facility (JEM-EF)JAXA Tsukuba Space Center May 28, 20034,100
Poisk (MRM-2)[16] [17] Roscosmos Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center 2008/093,670 same as Pirs
ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 & 2NASA All three contracting facilities 2008/096,277
Tranquility (Node 3)NASA, European Space Agency Cannes Mandelieu Space CenterStainless steelApril 200512,247
CupolaNASA, European Space Agency 2003/071,800
Rassvet (MRM-1)[18] Roscosmos, NASA Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center July 20095,075
Leonardo (PMM) Italian Space Agency, NASA Stainless steel2000/01 9,896
EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 3NASAGoddard Space Flight Center 2010/116,637 Same as ELC 1 & 2
EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 4NASAGoddard Space Flight Center 2010/116,731 Same as ELC 1 & 2
Alpha Magnetic SpectrometerCERN CERN, Geneva Switzerland August 20106,731Spectrometer development and assembly
Bigelow Expandable Activity Module[19] NASA Bigelow Aerospace factory in Las Vegas, Nevada[20] March 12, 20153.2Composite lamination
Nanoracks Bishop AirlockNanoRacks Thales Alenia Space factory[21] Space Station Processing Facility 2017-20325 kg
Nauka (MLM)
European Robotic Arm[22] 		RoscosmosKhrunichev State Research and Production Space CenterSame as Zarya2005/1820,300 Same as Zarya, with additions
PrichalRoscosmos Khrunichev State Research and Production Space CenterSame as Poisk2017/203,890Same as Poisk
Roll Out Solar ArraysNASA Deployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSSI) 2014-present1,002
Space Station componentOverseeing agency and contractor(s)Manufacturing
facility		Materials
used		Manufacturing datedata-sort-type="number" Mass
(kg)		Manufacturing ProcessesFactory view
Decommissioned Components are shown in gray.

Transportation

Once manufactured or fabricated sufficiently, most of the space station elements were transported by aircraft (usually the Airbus Beluga or the Antonov An-124) to the Kennedy Space Center Space Station Processing Facility for final manufacturing stages, checks and launch processing. Some elements arrived by ship at Port Canaveral.[23] [24]

Each module for aircraft transport was safely housed in a custom-designed shipping container with foam insulation and an outer shell of sheet metal, to protect it from damage and the elements. At their respective European, Russian and Japanese factories, the modules were transported to their nearest airport by road in their containers, loaded into the cargo aircraft and were flown to Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility for unloading and final transfers to the SSPF and or the Operations and Checkout Building in the KSC industrial area. The American and Canadian-built components such as the US lab, Node 1, Quest airlock, truss and solar array segments, and the Canadarm-2 were either flown by the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy to KSC, or transported by road and rail.[25]

After final stages of manufacturing, systems testing and launch checkout, all ISS components are loaded into a payload transfer container in the shape of the Space Shuttle payload bay. This container safely carries the component in its launch configuration until it is hoisted vertically at the launch pad gantry for transfer to the Space Shuttle orbiter for launch and in-orbit assembly of the International Space Station.[26]

Pre-launch processing and last stages of manufacturing

With the exception of all but one Russian-built module — Rassvet, all ISS components end up here at either one or both of these buildings at Kennedy Space Center.

Space Station Processing Facility

At the SSPF, ISS modules, trusses and solar arrays are prepped and made ready for launch. In this iconic building are two large 100,000 class clean work environment areas.[27] Workers and engineers wear full non-contaminant clothing while working. Modules receive cleaning and polishing, and some areas are temporarily disassembled for the installation of cables, electrical systems and plumbing. Steel truss parts and module panels are assembled together with screws, bolts and connectors, some with insulation. In another area, shipments of spare materials are available for installation. International Standard Payload Rack frames are assembled and welded together, allowing the installation of instruments, machines and science experiment boxes to be fitted. Once racks are fully assembled, they are hoisted by a special manually operated robotic crane and carefully maneuvered into place inside the space station modules. Each rack weighs from 700 to 1,100 kg, and connect inside the module on special mounts with screws and latches.[28]

Cargo bags for MPLM modules were filled with their cargo such as food packages, science experiments and other miscellaneous items on-site in the SSPF, and were loaded into the module by the same robotic crane and strapped in securely.

Operations and Checkout Building

Adjacent to the Space Station Processing Facility, the Operations and Checkout Building's spacecraft workshop is used for testing of the space station modules in a vacuum chamber to check for leaks which can be repaired on-site. Additionally, systems checking on various electrical elements and machines is conducted. Similar processing operations to the SSPF are conducted in this building if the SSPF area is full, or certain stages of preparation can only be done in the O&C.<ref>NASA.gov

See also

External links

ISS space agency websites

Manufacturer websites

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Companies involved with ISS.
  2. Web site: International Space Station | Facts, Missions, & History.
  3. Web site: ISS Zarya. Encyclopaedia Astronautica. Mark . Wade. 2009-03-11. 15 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20090227060517/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/isszarya.htm. 27 February 2009 . dead.
  4. Web site: Unity Connecting Module: Cornerstone for a Home in Orbit. January 1999. 2009-03-11. NASA. https://web.archive.org/web/20090317204752/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/factsheets/pdfs/unity.pdf. 17 March 2009 . dead.
  5. Web site: Zvezda Service Module. NASA. 11 March 2009. 2009-03-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20090323030726/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/sm.html. 23 March 2009 . live.
  6. Web site: US Destiny Laboratory. 26 March 2007. 2007-06-26. NASA. https://web.archive.org/web/20070709153924/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/destiny.html. 9 July 2007 . live.
  7. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/images/content/402222main_Techs_working_on_ELC_1019.jpg NASA.gov Techs_working_on_ELC_1019.jpg
  8. Web site: Space Station Extravehicular Activity. 2009-03-11. NASA. 4 April 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20090403213449/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/eva/outside.html. 3 April 2009 . dead.
  9. Web site: Space Station Assembly: Integrated Truss Structure. NASA. 2007-12-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20071207081810/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html. 7 December 2007 . live.
  10. Web site: P3 and P4 to expand station capabilities, providing a third and fourth solar array. Boeing. July 2006. 2007-12-02.
  11. Web site: STS-118 MISSION OVERVIEW: BUILD THE STATION…BUILD THE FUTURE. NASA PAO. 2007-12-02. July 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071201130531/http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/182728main_STS-118_Press_Kit.pdf. 1 December 2007 . live.
  12. Web site: Columbus laboratory. ESA. 2009-03-06. 10 January 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090330191925/http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESAAYI0VMOC_iss_0.html. 30 March 2009 . live.
  13. Web site: Stainless Steel, orbiting our planet at 17,150 miles per hour.
  14. Web site: About Kibo . JAXA . 2009-03-06 . 25 September 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090310171550/http://kibo.jaxa.jp/en/about/ . 10 March 2009 .
  15. Web site: Kibo Japanese Experiment Module. NASA. 23 November 2007. 2008-11-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20081023071601/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/jem.html. 23 October 2008 . live.
  16. Web site: Docking Compartment-1 and 2. RussianSpaceWeb.com. Anatoly . Zak. 26 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090210130224/http://www.russianspaceweb.com/iss_dc.html. 10 February 2009 . live.
  17. Web site: NASASpaceflight.com. Chris . Bergin. 9 November 2009. 10 November 2009. Russian module launches via Soyuz for Thursday ISS docking. https://web.archive.org/web/20091113190354/http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/11/live-russian-module-launch-towards-iss-on-soyuz/. 13 November 2009 . live.
  18. NASA Extends Contract With Russia's Federal Space Agency . NASA. 9 April 2007. 2007-06-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20070623120556/http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/apr/HQ_C07-18_Roscosmos.html. 23 June 2007 . live.
  19. Web site: NASA to Test Bigelow Expandable Module on Space Station. 16 January 2013. NASA. 16 January 2013.
  20. https://www.nasa.gov/content/new-expandable-addition-on-space-station-to-gather-critical-data-for-future-space-habitat NASA.gov New Expandable Addition on Space Station to Gather Critical Data for Future Space Habitat Systems 2015
  21. Web site: Thales Alenia Space Joins NanoRacks on Commercial ISS Airlock Module. 5 February 2018.
  22. Web site: FGB-based Multipurpose Lab Module (MLM). https://web.archive.org/web/20070927002737/http://www.khrunichev.ru/khrunichev_eng/live/full_mks.asp?id=13190. 27 September 2007. Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre. 2008-10-31.
  23. https://images.nasa.gov/details-KSC-07pd0628.html NASA.gov
  24. https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/facilities/sspf.html NASA.gov
  25. mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=44772
  26. mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=44912
  27. https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/facilities/sspf.html NASA.gov
  28. mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=51708

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