A space station is differentiated from other man made spacecrafts by its absence of landing facilities and major propulsion - rather some vehicles are used to transport the station. Space Stations are considered only for a short term living in space; it can be for periods of weeks, months or for a year. The only Space Station which is currently in use is the previous Space Stations are the Salyut series, Almaz, Mir and Skylab.
Before the end of the next decade, NASA astronaut will again gain their way to the surface of the moon. And this time, we're going to stay, building outposts and paving the way for eventual journeys to Mars and beyond. There are echoes of the iconic images of the past, but it won't be your grandfather's moon shot. This journey begins soon, with growth of a new flying saucer. Building on the best of Apollo and shuttle technology, NASA's creating a 21st century examination system that will be reasonably priced, reliable, flexible, and protected.
Purpose Of The Space Station
The mission of the International Space Station is to enable long-term exploration of space and provide benefits to people on Earth.
With six state-of-the-art laboratories, the Space Station will be the premiere research facility in space, four times larger and more capable than any previous space station. It is hoped that it will allow for advancements in medicine, technology and science. For example, studies in micro and hyper gravity will help researchers better understand its effects on humans and offer insight into how the human body works. Growing protein crystals in a space environment can help scientists create better treatment for numerous diseases that currently have no cure. In addition, the laboratories on the Space Station will allow for innovative space research projects to improve our understanding of the Earth's environment and the universe in which we live.
The Space Station will also serve as the gateway to new frontiers in human space exploration, a place where we can learn how to live and work "off planet." It will allow for the study of long-term effects of weightlessness on the human body and as a test bed to understand what adjustments need to be made to current methods before astronauts are sent to Mars and beyond. In addition, it will allow for critical research in fluids, combustion, life support systems and the radiation environment, which is needed for future human space exploration.
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