STS-130: Installing Tranquility and Cupola

STS-130 was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission in which the space shuttle Endeavour delivered and installed the Tranquility and Cupola modules at the International Space Station. Tranquility, also known as Node 3, brought regenerative life-support and exercise equipment together in new pressurized space. The accompanying seven-window Cupola served external observation, robotic-arm control and other purposes.

Tranquility was a European-built module for the International Space Station partnership. Thales Alenia Space developed its design, drawing on engineering experience from the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules and other node modules. Its role expanded from the connecting passage originally envisaged into an integrated module housing air processing, oxygen generation, drinking-water recovery, personal hygiene and exercise equipment, meeting the needs of a permanent six-person station crew.

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Tranquility's pressurized shell is made of aluminum alloy, with insulation and debris-protection panels outside. Its internal low- and moderate-temperature water loops transfer heat generated by equipment through external heat exchangers to the station's ammonia cooling system. Power, data, air and fluid lines also have to connect across modules, so transport and mechanical attachment were only part of the installation work.

Cupola is about 3 meters in diameter and 1.5 meters high, with a main structure forged from a single piece of aluminum. Six trapezoidal side windows surround a circular window 80 centimeters in diameter. The multiple window panes perform separate functions: resisting scratches, maintaining pressure and protecting against debris. External shutters can be opened and closed from inside, balancing observation, thermal control and glass protection. The module gives operators a workstation with a direct view of activities outside the station.

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George Zamka commanded the mission, with Terry Virts as pilot. Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken served as mission specialists. Behnken and Patrick conducted the three spacewalks, while the astronauts inside assisted with moving large components, relocating racks and checking equipment.

In Houston, Kwatsi Alibaruho led the principal on-orbit flight-control shift, Gary Horlacher led another on-orbit shift, and Chris Edelen led the planning shift; Norm Knight oversaw ascent and entry. The division of work among the launch site, shuttle, station and ground control allowed installation to proceed step by step around the availability of the robotic arm, airlock and cooling systems.

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On 8 February 2010, at 09:14 Universal Time, or 04:14 U.S. Eastern Standard Time, Endeavour lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center and docked with the International Space Station on 10 February. This was Endeavour's 24th flight. Orbital assembly began only after the main payload had arrived.

Tranquility was attached to the side of Unity on 12 February. After leak checks, Jeff Williams and Robinson opened its hatch on 13 February. During three spacewalks, Behnken and Patrick connected and configured external equipment, working for a total of 18 hours and 13 minutes. A small amount of crystallized ammonia was released while ammonia lines were being connected; subsequent inspections and decontamination tests detected no ammonia contamination on Patrick's spacesuit.

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At launch, Cupola was attached to the end of Tranquility. On 15 February it was moved to the Earth-facing port. After the third spacewalk released the launch restraints on the window shutters, the shutters opened for the first time on 17 February; the robotic-arm workstation was moved inside on 18 February. This sequence gradually transformed the launch configuration into the orbital operating configuration.

NASA's annual report records that installation also included two Water Recovery System racks, the Oxygen Generation System, sanitation facilities, the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device and a replacement distillation assembly for the Urine Processor Assembly. Some equipment had already been operating in other station modules and was moved into Tranquility as space was reorganized. Recovery and treatment of condensate, sweat and urine, together with oxygen generation and carbon dioxide removal, support continuous habitation.

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In Universal Time, Endeavour left the station on 20 February, then circled it to photograph the new configuration before beginning its return. Landing took place at 03:20 on 22 February, corresponding to 22:20 on 21 February in Florida. At Kennedy Space Center, the six astronauts concluded a flight of nearly fourteen days covering more than 5.7 million miles.

Tranquility and Cupola remained in orbit for continued use. NASA's mission-completion announcement that day stated that, measured by mass, construction of the International Space Station was then about 90 percent complete. The mission delivered not only additional pressurized space but also the lines, racks and external connections needed to keep it operating, along with windows through which astronauts could observe Earth, spacewalks and visiting spacecraft.

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