Cupola
Observation module
Cupola provides an observation and work area for the International Space Station crew that gives visibility to support the control of the Station's robotic arms and a beautiful view of Earth, celestial objects and visiting vehicles.
Cupola is where ESA's Nightpod camera aid was installed to help astronauts take sharper pictures at night.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | |
| Height | 1500 mm |
| Diameter | 2955 mm |
| Including Micrometeoroid and orbital Debris Protection System with shutters closed | |
| Including Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture | |
| Mass budget | |
| Launch Mass | 1805 kg |
| On-orbit mass | 1880 kg |
| Communications and data infrastructure | |
|---|---|
| Via Audio Terminal Unit that is connected to Node 3 and the rest of the station | |
| 1553B buses via Utility Outlet Panel | |
| Dedicated discrete lines for Robotic Work Station |
| Environmental control | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Control and Life Support air from Node Inter Module Ventilation | |
| With manual temperature adjustment |
| Electrical power | |
|---|---|
| Direct from the Node 120 V interface | Window heaters |
| Via the Utility Outlet Panel, 120 V interface | Robotic Workstation |
| Portable Computer System | |
| Portable light system |
| Main construction material | |
|---|---|
| Dome | Forged Al 2219-T851 |
| Skirt | Al 2219-T851 |
| Thermal control | Goldised Kapton Multi-Layer Insulation blanket |
| Windows | Fused Silica and borosilicate glass |
| Protective shutters | Al-6061-T6, AL 7075-T7352 and Kevlar/Nextel sheets |
| Ownership and development authority | |
|---|---|
| The Cupola is provided by ESA to NASA in exchange for the transport of 5 external payloads | |
| Prime contractor | |
| Alenia Spazio (Turin, Italy), leading a consortium of European sub-contractors |
| Configuration | |
|---|---|
| On launch | |
| Launched inside the Orbiter cargo bay, mounted on a Spacelab pallet via a Manual Berthing Mechanism | |
| Launch vehicle | Space Shuttle (Flight 20A/STS-130) |
| Launch site | Kennedy Space Center |
| Launch date | 8 February 2010 |
| On orbit | |
| Transferred from Orbiter cargo bay to the Node location by the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System | |
| and Station Remote Manipulator System interfacing with the Cupola | |
| Initially berthed to Node 1 Port-port, later relocated to Node 3 Forward-port. | |
| (Node 3 Aft-port for contingency) |
| Outfitting on-orbit | |
|---|---|
| Permanently | 1 Audio Terminal Unit and 2 Utility Outlet Panels |
| Periodically | Robotic Work Station |
| Portable Computer System | |
| Portable light system | |
| Foot restraint device to support crew operations |
| Flight hardware | |
|---|---|
| Primary | Forged/Machined Aluminium dome welded to skirt |
| Window Assy, (6 side and 1 top), glass panes and window heaters and thermistors. | |
| Passive Common Berthing Mechanism bolted to the skirt. | |
| Micro-meteoroid and orbital Debris Protection | |
| System Aluminum bumper on the cylindrical portion | |
| 2 Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture interfaceplates | |
| Secondary | Internal closure panels equipment & harness support brackets |
| Crew System Kit; seat tracks, handrails, handholds, tethers. | |
| Manually operated shutters for each window (also serves as MDPS). | |
| 2 Window Change Out Covers to support on orbit window assy replacement. | |
| Thermal Control System; water supplied from Node High Temperature loop. | |
| Passive thermal control utilizes Multi-Layer Insulation and thermo optical properties. | |
| Environmental Control and Life Support air from Node Inter Module Ventilation. | |
| MIL-1553 Bus, Discrete I/O, Audio, Video |
