30 March 2009
ISS, Backlit
Posted by Ryan Anderson
I’m starting my first day of work at Johnson Space Center today, and coincidentally, I just came across this awesome photo of the International Space Station. It seemed fitting to post it since I’m going to be about a block from mission control. The ISS may have its critics but you can’t deny that this is an amazing photo of an amazing human achievement.
What an awesome picture! It became my new desktop wallpaper immediately. (also worth a short me-too! blogpost)
Makes me want to buy a small telescope and go out and try to watch the ISS myself, especially now that it is brighter than Venus!
It looks like a rope to hang some clothes to dry, with springs of clothing.
Any idea from which window on the shuttle this picture was taken? On the right hand side of the image you can clearly see a dark, curving edge that cuts off the limb of the planet…and as far as I know all of the windows on an orbiter are rectangular,squarish ones….although I do think there is one small round window on the entry hatch. What do you guys think?
I don’t know enough about the layout of the shuttle to be able to tell, but I’d be interested if any other readers do know…
The web is full of all sorts of charts, diagrams, pictures of the orbiter. I really think it must be that one round window on the hatch.
So besides some pretty pictures, what else do I get with the $100 billion I helped lay out for the ISS with my tax money?
Science. Understanding. Technology: CD players. Aluminium foil. Microwave ovens. Communication Satellites. GPS.
Need I go on?
I am asking about the ISS specifically.
I already know the usual answers you listed.
I know, but the problem with science (or the wonderful thing with it) is that you never can predict what kind of research will bear fruit…
The idea of “targeted” research is ridicolous except for very short-term goals.
The ISS has been up there for over a decade now.
Many of the things that space station was supposed to do could have been done with a much cheaper platform or even on Earth in a number of cases.
Space stations have a purpose, but NASA has yet to clearly define this one. And yes, after 11 years and $100 billion I expect to see a few real results that won’t keep Joe Sixpack from thinking yet again space has no place in their lives.