The Joint Airlock Module is moved to the O&C vacuum chamber

[KSC-00PP-1405]


  • Photo Number: KSC-00PP-1405

  • Release Date: 19-Sep-2000

  • Description: The Joint Airlock Module swings into position near the top of the Operations and Checkout Building to move toward the vacuum chamber at right. Workers alongside the chamber watch the airlock's progress. The airlock is being tested for leaks. The module is the gateway from which crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will enter and exit the 470-ton orbiting research facility. The airlock is a critical element of the ISS because of design differences between American and Russian spacesuits. The Joint Airlock Module provides a chamber where astronauts from every nation can suit up for space walks to conduct maintenance and construction work or to do science experiments outside the Station. The Space Shuttle Atlantis will carry the airlock to orbit on mission STS-104, the 10th International Space Station flight, currently targeted for liftoff in May 2001. The Shuttle crew will secure the airlock to the right side of Unity, the American-built connecting node that currently comprises one-third of the current Space Station, along with the Russian modules Zarya and Zvezda.

    Resolution Format Width
    (Pixels)
    Height
    (Pixels)
    Size
    (Bytes)
    Thumbnail GIF 100 66 10072
    Slide GIF 172 148 36670
    Low GIF 320 212 96669
    Medium JPEG 1024 679 171042
    High JPEG 2670 1771 1024021

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    Photos By: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Scanned By: Seven/Still Photo Imaging
    Captions: InDyne, Inc.
    Curator: NASA/KSC Internet Systems Lab (Dumoulin, Downs, Paladino)
    Last Updated: Tuesday August 28 19:06:07 EDT 2001 (Anita Barrett)

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