List of space stations

An image of the International Space Station. The silver-colored center module is dark blue, surrounded by four golden solar arrays on each side. The sun is reflecting off of the set to the left. In the background is the outline of the Earth.
The International Space Station in front of the Earth. This image was taken by space shuttle Discovery while pulling away during STS-119.
An image of Skylab. The left side of the frame is dominated by a communications array, painted white with a cylindrical satellite dish on top. On they right is a brown-grey cylinder, which is the main station. No solar arrays are visible.
Skylab viewed from the command module of Skylab 2

A space station is a manned satellite designed to remain in low Earth orbit for a long period of time. In general, space stations have the ability for other spacecraft to dock to them. As of 2018, the International Space Station is the only operational manned space station currently in orbit. Other experimental and prototype labs are also in orbit. Previous stations include the Salyut and Almaz series, Skylab, Mir and Tiangong 1.[1]

Space stations are used to study the effects of long-term space flight on the human body. They also serve as a platform for extended scientific studies.[2] All space stations have been designed with the intention of rotating multiple crews, with each crew member staying aboard the station for weeks or months, but rarely more than a year. As of 2018, Vladimir Titov, Musa Manarov, Sergei Avdeyev and Valeriy Polyakov have completed single missions of over a year, all aboard Mir.[3]

Space stations have been used for both military and civilian purposes. The first military-use space station was Salyut 2, which was launched by the Soviet Almaz program in 1973.[4] The Soviet Union also claimed the first civilian space station with the launch of Salyut 1. As of 2018, Russia, China, and private companies are building space stations.

Past stations

These stations have re-entered the atmosphere and disintegrated.

The Soviet Union ran two programs simultaneously, both of which were known to the outside world as Salyut. The Long Duration Orbital Station (DOS) program was intended for scientific research into spaceflight. The Almaz program was a secret military program that tested space reconnaissance tactics.[5]

double-dagger Never manned
Name Entity Program Crew size Launched Reentered Days
in orbit		 Days
occupied		 Total crew
and visitors		 Number of
manned visits		 Number of
unmanned visits		 Mass Pressurized volume
Salyut 1 Soviet Union USSR DOS[6] 3[7] 19 April 1971[8] 11 October 1971[9] 175 24[10] 6[11] 2[11] 0[11] 18,425 kg (40,620 lb)[8] 100 m3 (3,500 cu ft)[12]
DOS-2double-dagger Soviet Union USSR DOS[13] —[lower-alpha 1] 29 July 1972[8][14] 29 July 1972 (failed to reach orbit) — — — — — 18,000 kg (40,000 lb)[15] —
Salyut 2double-dagger Soviet Union USSR Almaz[14] —[lower-alpha 1] 3 April 1973[14] 16 April 1973[14] 13[14] — — — — 18,500 kg (40,800 lb)[16] —
Kosmos 557double-dagger Soviet Union USSR DOS[17] —[lower-alpha 1] 11 May 1973[18] 22 May 1973[19] 11 — — — — 19,400 kg (42,800 lb)[15] —
Skylab United States NASA Skylab[20] 3[21] 14 May 1973[22] 11 July 1979[23] 2249 171[24] 9[25] 3[26] 0[27] 77,088 kg (169,950 lb)[28] 360 m3 (12,700 cu ft)[29]
Salyut 3 Soviet Union USSR Almaz[6] 2[30] 25 May 1974[31] 24 January 1975[32] 213 15[33] 2[33] 1[33] 0 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)
(at launch)[34]		 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[17]
Salyut 4 Soviet Union USSR DOS[35] 2[36] 26 December 1974[37] 3 February 1977[37] 770[37] 92[38] 4[38] 2[38][39] 1[38] 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)[17]
(at launch)		 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[17]
Salyut 5 Soviet Union USSR Almaz[35] 2[40] 22 June 1976[41] 8 August 1977[42] 412 67[43] 4[43] 3[43] 0[43] 19,000 kg (42,000 lb)[17]
(at launch)		 100 m3 (3,500 cu ft)[17]
Salyut 6 Soviet Union USSR DOS[35] 2[44] 29 September 1977[44] 29 July 1982[45] 1764 683[46] 33[46] 16[46] 14[46] 19,000 kg (42,000 lb)[47] 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[48]
Salyut 7 Soviet Union USSR DOS[35] 3[49] 19 April 1982[50] 7 February 1991[50] 3216[50] 861[49] 22[49] 10[49] 15[49] 19,000 kg (42,000 lb)[51] 90 m3 (3,200 cu ft)[17]
Mir
DOS[52] 3[53] 19 February 1986[54][lower-alpha 2] 23 March 2001[23][54] 5511[54] 4594[55] 125[55] 39[56] 68[55] 129,700 kg (285,900 lb)[57] 350 m3 (12,400 cu ft)[58]
Tiangong-1 China CNSA Tiangong program 3[59] 29 September 2011[60][61] 2 April 2018[62] 2377 25[63] 6[63][64] 2[63] 1[65] 8,506 kg (18,753 lb)[66] 15 m3 (530 cu ft)[67]

Prototypes

These stations and parts are prototypes; they only exist as testing platforms and will never be manned. OPS 0855 was part of a cancelled Manned Orbiting Laboratory project by the United States, while the Genesis stations were launched privately and remain in orbit. Japan also has a tested version of a space elevator in orbit.

Name Entity Program Launched Reentered Days in orbit Mass Pressurized volume
OPS 0855 United States US Air Force MOL 3 November 1966[68] 9 January 1967[68] 67 9,680 kg (21,340 lb) 11.3 m3 (400 cu ft)
Genesis I Bigelow Aerospace 12 July 2006[69] (In Orbit) 4476 1,360 kg (3,000 lb)[70] 11.5 m3 (410 cu ft)[71]
Genesis II Bigelow Aerospace 28 June 2007[69] (In Orbit) 4125 1,360 kg (3,000 lb)[70] 11.5 m3 (406 cu ft)[71]

Note: A Japanese space elevator is presently in orbit, as well, part of a future structure being built piece by piece to tether to a future station.

Operational stations

These stations are currently orbiting Earth and where a life support system is in place. Only one is fully operational.

Name Entity Crew size Launched Days in
orbit[lower-alpha 3]		 Days
occupied		 Total crew
and visitors		 Manned
visits		 Unmanned
visits		 Mass Pressurized
volume
International Space Station 6[72] 20 November 1998[72][lower-alpha 2] 7267 6556[73] 215[73] 88 [74] 94 [74] 417,289 kg (919,965 lb)[75] 907 m3 (32,000 cu ft)[76]

Note: China's station is neither manned nor fully operational but simply in orbit.

Planned stations

These space stations have been announced by their host entity and are currently in active development or production. The launch date listed here may change as more information becomes available.

Name Entity Planned
crew size		 Planned
launch date
Chinese large modular space station China CNSA 3 2019-2022[77]
Space Complex Alpha Bigelow Aerospace 3+[78] 2020[79]
Space Complex Bravo Bigelow Aerospace 24[80] 2020 or later[79]
Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway United States NASA

Russia RFSA

 2022[81]
Orbital Piloted Assembly and Experiment Complex
(OPSEK)		 Russia RFSA Unknown Pre-ISS deorbit (2024 at earliest)[82]
Lunar Orbital Station[83]
(LOS)		 Russia RFSA —[lower-alpha 4] after 2030[84]

Cancelled projects

A mockup of the inside of Skylab at the Smithsonian, based on the Skylab B module. In the center, a dummy dressed in a gold jumpsuit sits at a table. Behind him are white cabinets that hold the crews equipment. Off to the right, a porthole shows a view of the Smithsonian.
An image of the interior of Skylab B, on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Most of these stations were cancelled due to financial difficulties. However, Mir-2 and Freedom were later converted into the joint International Space Station project.

Space station Entity Crew size Launch date Remarks
Manned Orbiting Laboratory 1-7 United States NASA 2[85] Mockup launched 3 November 1966[86]
(In orbit 40 days, cancelled after launch)[87]		 Canceled due to excessive costs[88]
Skylab B United States NASA 3[89] Between 1975 and 1979 (planned)[90] Constructed, but launch canceled due to lack of funding.[91] Now a museum piece.
Galaxy Bigelow Aerospace Unmanned[92] late 2008 (planned)[92] Canceled due to rising costs and ability to ground test key Galaxy subsystems[93]
Mir-2 Russia RFSA 2 [94] 1993[95] Canceled due to financial difficulties[95] Converted into the ISS
Freedom United States NASA 14-16[96] 29 September 1988[97] Converted into the International Space Station[97]
Almaz commercial Excalibur Almaz 4 or more 2015 Lack of funds. To be converted into an educational exhibit[98]

Timeline

Tiangong 2Tiangong 1Genesis IIGenesis IInternational Space StationMirSalyut 7Salyut 6Salyut 5Salyut 4Salyut 3SkylabKosmos 557Salyut 2DOS-2Salyut 1OPS 0855

See also

  • Space portal
  • Spaceflight portal
  • Spacelab

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 The USSR intended to man this station, however; it re-entered the atmosphere before the cosmonauts were launched.
  2. 1 2 Launch date of the initial module. Additional modules for this station were launched later.
  3. ↑ Correct as of 13 October 2018
  4. ↑ This station was announced in 2007, details are still forthcoming.

References

  1. ↑ "A history of space stations". Cable News Network. 23 November 1998. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Space Stations". Oracle Thinkquest. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "A History of Manned Space Missions". National Earth Science Teachers Association. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "Space Stations, Space Agencies, Space Laboratories, Space Obervatory, Space Missions". Space Station Info. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "The Station: Russian Space History". PBS. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  6. 1 2 Harland, David Michael (2005). The Story Of Space Station Mir. Springer. p. 351. ISBN 9780387230115. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Space Stations". ThinkQuest. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 "Salyut 1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  9. ↑ Tony Long (19 April 2011). "April 19, 1971: Soviets Put First Space Station Into Orbit". Wired Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  10. ↑ "Space Station". World Almanac Education Group Inc. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 Vic Stathopoulos. "The first Space Station - Salyut 1". aerospaceguide.net. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  12. ↑ Gibbons, John H. (2008). Salyut: Soviet steps toward permanent human presence in space. DIANE Publishing. p. 15. ISBN 9781428924017. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  13. ↑ Ivanovich, Ivanovich (2008). Salyut: the first space station : triumph and tragedy. Germany: Springer. p. 329. ISBN 978-0-387-73585-6. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Zimmerman, Robert (2003). Leaving Earth. Washington, DC, United States: Joseph Henry Press. p. 84. ISBN 0-309-08548-9.
  15. 1 2 "Salyut". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  16. ↑ "Saylut 2". NASA. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D.S.F. Portree (1995). "Mir Hardware Heritage" (PDF). NASA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2010. (Full text available on Wikisource)
  18. ↑ "NASA – NSSDC – Spacecraft – Trajectory Details". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  19. ↑ "Large Uncontrolled Reentries". planet4589.org. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  20. ↑ Harris, Harris (2008). Space Enterprise: Living and Working Offworld in the 21st Century. Springer. p. 582. ISBN 978-0-387-77639-2. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  21. ↑ Collins, Martin, ed. (2007). After Sputnik: 50 Years of the Space Age. United States: Smithsonian Institution with Harper Collins Books. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-06-089781-9.
  22. ↑ "Skylab". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  23. 1 2 Stewart Taggart (22 March 2001). "The Day the Sky(lab) Fell". Wired Magazine. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  24. ↑ "Modest Beginnings: Salyut and Skylab – The Architecture of Space Stations, Optimizing Internal Space, Engineering for Weightlesness". Science Clarified. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  25. ↑ "Skylab 30 Years Later". Space Daily. 11 November 2003. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  26. ↑ Tony Long (11 July 2008). "July 11, 1979: Look Out Below! Here Comes Skylab!". Wired Magazine. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  27. ↑ Oberg, Jame (1992). "Skylab's Untimely Fate". Air & Space. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  28. ↑ "BBC – Solar System – Skylab (pictures, video, facts & news)". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  29. ↑ Zimmerman, Robert (2003). Leaving Earth. Washington, DC, United States: Joseph Henry Press. p. 51. ISBN 0-309-08548-9.
  30. ↑ Furniss, Tim (2003). A History of Space Exploration: And Its Future... 2003. p. 200. ISBN 9781585746507. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Salyut-3 (OPS-2)". Russian Space Web. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  32. ↑ "Largest Objects to Reenter". Aerospace Corporation. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  33. 1 2 3 "Resident Crews of Salyut 3". spacefacts.de. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  34. ↑ "Skylab". University of Oregon. Retrieved 31 January 2012. (Lecture at the University of Oregon, Salyut 3 is mentioned later in the lecture)
  35. 1 2 3 4 Dudley-Rowley, Marilyn (2006). "The Mir Crew Safety Record: Implications for Space Colonization". American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics: 2.
  36. ↑ "Salyut 4". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  37. 1 2 3 "Salyut-4". Aerospaceguide. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  38. 1 2 3 4 "The DOS Space Stations: Salyut 4". Zarya.info. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  39. ↑ "Spaceflight :Soviet Space Stations". Centennial of Flight. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  40. ↑ "Soyuz 21". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  41. ↑ "OPS-3 (Salyut-5) space station". Russian Space Web. Archived from the original on 4 June 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  42. ↑ "Sixth Salyut Space Station Launched". Science News. 112 (15): 229. 1977. doi:10.2307/3962473. JSTOR 3962472. (requires JSTOR access)
  43. 1 2 3 4 "Salyut 5". Aerospaceguide. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  44. 1 2 "Salyut 6". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  45. ↑ Robert Christy. "The DOS Space Stations: Expedition 5 (1981) and The End". Zarya. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  46. 1 2 3 4 "Salyut 6". Aerospaceguide. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  47. ↑ "Salyut 6 (craft information)". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  48. ↑ "Salyut 6". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 "Salyut 7". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  50. 1 2 3 "Summary of Recovered Reentry Debris". Aerospace Corporation. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  51. ↑ "Salyut 7". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  52. ↑ Ivanovich, Grujica S. (2008). Salyut: The First Space Station : Triumph and Tragedy. Springer. p. 358. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  53. ↑ Seth Borenstein (16 November 1995). "Atlantis' Astronauts Bear Gifts To Mir Crew". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
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  59. ↑ Stephen Clark. "Chinese rocket successfully launches mini-space lab". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  60. ↑ Ken Kremer. "China Blasts First Space Lab Tiangong 1 to Orbit". universetoday.com. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  61. ↑ "China Successfully Launches 1st Space Lab Module". Arabia 2000. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  62. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/02/tiangong-1-crash-china-space-station
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  77. ↑ China to begin construction of manned space station in 2019 Reuters April 28, 2017
  78. ↑ Kenric Ward. "Nevada Aerospace Company Aims for Florida: Bigelow eyes launch of commercial space stations from Cape Canaveral". Sunshine State News. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  79. 1 2 http://www.space.com/32541-private-space-habitat-launching-2020.html
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  90. ↑ Shayler, David (15 June 2001). "Revisit, reboost and reentry, 1974-1979". Skylab: America's space station (Paperback) (1st ed.). Springer. p. 303. ISBN 978-1-85233-407-9. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  91. ↑ astronautix.com. "Skylab B". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  92. 1 2 Dan Cohen. "Developing a Galaxy". Bigelow Aerospace, LLC. Archived from the original on 24 November 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2007. (page has been taken down, link is to an archived version)
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  94. ↑ "ISS Elements: Service Module ("Zvezda")". spaceref.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  95. 1 2 "Mir-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  96. ↑ "Space Station Freedom". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 11 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  97. 1 2 David S. F. Portree. "Space Station Columbia (1991)". wired.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  98. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/shooting-for-the-moon-time-called-on-isle-of-man-space-race-10101750.html

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