The International Space Station (ISS) is an engineering project unlike any other. The vehicle is inhabited and operational as construction goes on. The habitability resources available to the crew are the crew sleep quarters, the galley, the waste and hygiene compartment, and exercise equipment. These items are mainly in the Russian Service Module and their placement is awkward for the crew to deal with ISS assembly will continue with the truss build and the addition of International Partner Laboratories. Also, Node 2 and 3 will be added. The Node 2 module will provide additional stowage volume and room for more crew sleep quarters. The Node 3 module will provide additional Environmental Control and Life Support Capability. The purpose of the ISS is to perform research and a major area of emphasis is the effects of long duration space flight on humans, a result of this research they will determine what are the habitability requirements for long duration space flight

Engle, Mike

Watson, Patricia Mendoza

NASA Technical Reports Server

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The International Space Station Habitat 
Patricia Mendoza Watson l , Mike Engle2 
} NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas 77058, Mail Code OM 
2NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas 77058, Mail Code OM 
Abstract. The International Space Station (ISS) is an engineering 
project unlike any other. The vehicle is inhabited and operational as 
construction goes on. The habitability resources available to the crew 
are the crew sleep quarters, the galley, the waste and hygiene 
compartment, and exercise equipment. These items are mainly in the 
Russian Service Module and their placement is awkward for the crew 
to deal with . ISS assembly will continue with the truss build and the 
addition of International Partner Laboratories. Also, Node 2 and 3 will 
be added. The Node 2 module wi ll provide additional stowage volume 
and room for more crew sleep quarters. The Node 3 module will 
provide additiona l Environmental Control and Life Support Capability. 
The purpose of the ISS is to perform research and a major area of 
emphasis is the effects of long duration space flight on humans, a result 
of this research they will determine what are the habitability 
requirements for long duration space flight. 
Source of Acquisition 
NASA Jolmson Space Center 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20100042177 2019-08-30T13:25:17+00:00Z
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The International Space Station Habitat 
Patricia Mendoza Watsonl and Mike Engle2 
INA SA, Johnson Space Center, Mail Code OM, Houston TX 77058, 281-483-7770, patricia.watsonl@jsc.nasa.gov 
2NASA, Johnson Space Center, Mai l Code OM, Houston TX 77058, 281-244-0904, michael.e.englel@isc.nasa.gov 
Abstract. The International Space Station (ISS) is an engineering project unlike any other. The vehicle is inhabited and operational as 
construction goes on. The habitability resources available to the crew are the crew sleep quarters, the galley, the waste and hygiene 
compartment, and exercise equipment. These items are mainly in the Russian Service Module and their placement is awkward for the 
crew to deal with. ISS assembly will continue with the truss build and the addition oflntemational Parmer Laboratories. Also, Node 2 
and 3 will be added. The Node 2 module wi ll provide additional stowage volume and room for more crew sleep quarters. The Node 3 
module (not officially in the ISS Program) will provide additional Environmental Control and Life Support Capability. The purpose of 
the ISS is to perform research and a major area of emphasis is on the effects of long duration space flight on humans, a result of this 
research they wi ll determine what are the habitability requirements for long duration space flight. 
Introduction 
The International Space Station, ISS, is in the construction phase. Unlike past space vehicle construction and most likely 
future space vehicle construction, the ISS is inhabited and operational as assembly progresses. Constructing the vehicle, 
maintaining functionality, performing research and keeping the crew alive require all the current vehicle resources. Table 
1 lists the missions flown to date and the elements they have added to the ISS. Future pressurized volume additions add 
International Partner Research Capabi lity and Stowage. While the larger work volume is a plus for habitability the 
resources availab le to the crew will not change significantly from what they are today. 
Tab le 1. Assembly Sequence Overview, Flown as of June 26, 2002 (NASA FPWG) 
Flight Delivered Date Flight Delivered 
Elements Flown Elements 
20-Nov-98 lAIR FGB 28-Apr-01 2S SoyuzTM 
04-Dec-98 2A Nodel , PMAI 20-May-Ol 4P Progress M-I 
27-May-99 2A.I SpaceHab DCM 12-Jul-Ol 7A Airlock 
19-May-00 2A.2A SpaceHab DCM 10-Aug-01 7A.l MPLM Lab Racks 
12-Jul-00 I Service Module 2 l-Aug-O 1 5P Progress M 
06-Aug-00 1 Progress-MI 14-Sep-01 4R DC 
08-Sep-00 2A.2B SpaceHab DCM 21-0ct-01 3S Soyuz TM 
ll-Oct-OO 3A Zl Truss 26-Nov-Ol 6P Progress - MI 
31 -0ct-00 2R SoyuzTM 05-Dec-01 UF- 1 MPLM Lab Racks 
16-Nov-00 2P Progress M-I 21 -Mar-02 7P Progress Ml 
Ol-Dec-OO 4A P6 08-Apr-02 8A SO (MT) 
07-Feb-01 5A Lab 25-Apr-02 4S SoyuzTM 
26-Feb-Ol 3P Progress M-l 05-Jun-02 UF-2 MPLM 
08-Mar-Ol 5A.l MPLM Lab Racks 26-Jun-02 8P Progress M 
19-Apr-0 1 6A MPLM Lab Racks 
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Habitability Resources 
Most of the habitabi li ty resources on-orbit today are in the Russian Service Module (SM), and the US Laboratory. The 
Waste Control System (toilet), two, crew sleep quarters, the treadmill and the galley are in the SM. The crew eats, sleeps 
and exercises in the SM. The Service Module also houses the bulk of the Environmental Control and Life Support 
System (ECLS). The two main ECLS components in the SM are the Elektron, and the Vozdukh. The Elektron is the 
oxygen generator, it nominally produces oxygen for 3 crew and it can support up to 6 crew for short periods. The 
Vozdukh is a C02 scrubber; it can support the equivalent of 4.5 crew. The Laboratory also has a C02 scrubber called 
the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly, CDRA; it can scrub C02 for the equivalent of 7 crew. One crew sleep quarters 
is in the Laboratory. The cycle ergometer vibration isolation system (CEVIS) and the crew health care system is located 
in the US Laboratory. A Resistive Exercise Device (RED) is in Node 1. 
ISS Missions 
As of the end of Summer 2002 the International Space Station Program successfully completed 29 missions. Twenty-one 
of those missions were for re-supply, and outfitting. Only four of those flights added pressurized volume. This year ISS 
assembly will continue with the truss build and the addition of photo voltaic modules. This will be followed by the 
addition of the International Partner Laboratories (NASA MIa, Walton). To date, S crews have lived on-board the ISS. 
Each ISS crew has had basically the same habitability resources available to them in the SM, US Laboratory and the 
Node 1. The fifth Expedition crew is on-orbit at the time of this writing. The four previous Expedition crews have 
returned to Earth and have reported on their experience living on board the ISS. 
The first, ISS flight, 1 AIR put the Functional Cargo Block (FGB) in Orbit. This ISS element is the foundation on which 
the ISS is being built. It provides power, computing, docking and berthing interfaces. The FGB was ajoint venture 
between the Russian Space Agency and NASA it designated as an AIR flight because it is joint American and Russian 
element. The second flight, 2A, ·installed the Node 1 element. Node 1 is a NASA element designed to function as a 
connector allowing the ISS to continue to build up in the forward, nadir and zenith direction . The Node 1 houses stowage 
racks and the Resistive Exercise Device, RED. The next 2 flights were US re-supply flights, 2A.I and 2A.2A, followed 
by a Russian flight, IR. The Service Module was added in the Russian Mission lR. The Service Module, SM, brought 
with it the Elektron, an oxygen generator, the Vozdukh, a C02 scrubber, the galley and the Waste Collection System 
(toilet) . The following mission, IP, was a Russian re-supply flight. It was followed by another American re-supply flight, 
2A.2B. Flight 3A was an American flight which brought up the Z-I Truss (an external element). 
Expedition 1 
Flight 2R was the Russian mission which provided the Soyuz rescue vehicle and brought with it the first Increment Crew 
or Expedition 1 crew. The Expedition 1 crew was on board the ISS for 138 days (NASA) and was there when the Lab 
was installed and left on the following flight approximately one month later. While they were there, there were S flights 
to the ISS. Flight 2P was a Progress flight which provided more supplies. The first US Photovoltaic Module (PVM) 
came up on flight 4A. The US laboratory Module was launched on flight SA on February 7, 2001. It contained Lab 
system racks and stowage capability. The CEVIS and additional C02 scrubbing capability are part of the Lab, the 
following flight, 3P, was a Progress re-supply flight. Expedition I left the ISS on the following flight, SA.I (NASA 
MIa). 
For the bulk of their stay the Increment 1 crew lived in the Service Module. They also had access to the FGB and the 
Node volume. Two crew members slept in the Service Module and one slept on the wall of the FGB. In the crew debrief 
the crew felt that stowage was an issue for them. They also felt the treadmill in the Lab was always in the way. When a 
taxi crew was on board they felt their resources were "extremely over-taxed" (CPWG Exp. I, SF6 Exp. 1). The 
Expedition 1 crew had 9,334 cubic feet of volume available to them and 13 ,146 cubic feet of volume after the US Lab 
arrived, about the same volume as the former MIR Complex. (Miller). 
Expedition 2 
Flight SA .l was a crew rotation fli ght. Expedition 2 arrived along with additional Lab Racks and the Expedition 1 crew 
came home on that shuttle fli ght. The Expedition 2 crew was on board the ISS for 167 days (NASA). During their stay 
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I 
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there were 5 flights to the ISS. Flight 6A delivered more Lab Racks, flight 2S changed out the Soyuz TM and flight 4P 
was a Progress re-supply flights. The US Airlock was launched on flight 7 A; the US Airlock provides the capability to 
perfonn EY As from the US side with a minimum loss of air. Expedition 2 left the ISS on fl ight 7 A.I. The vehicle 
configuration and available vo lume that was available to Expedition 2 is as shown in Figure I (Mi ller et al). The 
habitable volume shown in Figure 1 is also that available to the crew today and will remain in this configuration until the 
truss build is complete and the International Partner Laboratories are launched. 
Airlock 
US Laboratorv 
Figure 1. Habitable Volume Today (Miller et al) 
The Expedition 2 crew indicated that their top two Habitability issues that affected their comfort, productivity and 
performance were noise and inter-module communications. The concentration of functions and activities in the SM was 
an issue. Specifically, the location of the toilet near the sleep areas, dining table and kitchen panty. Also, the treadmill in 
the middle of the SM living area was a p'roblem as was the location of the CEYIS in the middle of the Lab (SF6 Exp.2, 
CPWG). The Expedition 2 crew had approximately 13 ,146 cubic feet of pressurized volume avai lable to them (Mi ller) . 
Expedition 3 
Flight 7A.l was a crew rotation flight. Expedition 3 arrived along with additional Lab racks and the Expedition 2 crew 
came home. The Expedition 3 crew was on board the ISS for 130 days (NASA). While they were there, there were 5 
flights to the ISS. Flight 5P was a Progress re-supply flight. The Russian flight, 4R, brought up the docking compartment 
and the capability to have a docked Progress and a docked Soyuz which enabled us to rotate a crew while the Progress 
was docked. It also gave us a backup Soyuz docking location. Progress docking is still limited to the aft end of the FGB. 
Flight 3S brought a new Soyuz to the ISS. Flight 6P was a Progress re-supply flight. Increment 3 left the ISS on flight 
UF-l (NASA MIO). 
The Expedition 3 crew indicated that their top habitability issue was that there is no dedicated place to bathe or shower. 
They bathed in the FGB, which is like a hallway. They did this by closing off the module and cutting off both ends of the 
ISS. They did this to provide privacy since they had a mixed crew (CPWG Exp. 3, SF6 Exp. 3). The Expedition 3 crew 
had approximately 14,797 cubic feet of pressurized volume available to them (Miller). 
Expedition 4 
Expedition 4 arrived on flight UF-l and lived on-board the ISS for 195 days (NASA). While they were on-board the ISS 
there were 4 flights to the ISS. 7P was another Progress re-supply flight. Flight 8A brought up the centerpiece of the 
power truss the SO. The following flight was a Soyuz change-out flight 4S Soyuz - TM. Expedition 4 left the ISS on 
flight UF-2 (NASA MIO). 
Their top habitability issues were stowage and the concentration offunctions in the SM. The Waste Collection System 
(toilet), galley, exercise equipment and 2 crew quarters are in the SM (SF6 Exp. 4) . The Expedition 4 crew had 
approximately 14,791 cubic feet of pressurized volume available to them (Miller). 
Expedition 5 
The UF-2 MPLM was a crew rotation flight the Expedition 5 crew was put in place and Expedition 4 came home. The 
duration of their stay was 184 days (NASA). At the time this is being written Expedition 5 habitability outbriefs have not 
been published. 
Future Flights 
The purpose of the next set of flights is primarily to build the truss and add photovoltaic modules. Once this is 
accomplished there will be sufficient power to operate additional laboratories. Prior to the International Partner Lab 
deliveries, Node 2 will be added on flight lOA. Like Node 1, this module will act as a connector to continue the ISS 
buildup and provide internal stowage. Then, the European Space Agency Laboratory Module, Columbus will be added. 
Followed by the National Aerospace Development Agency of Japan Laboratory Module and Storage Module. The 
Russian Space Agency will provide the MTSM, a multi-purpose pressurized module whose function has not been 
fmalized. One option is to have it provide additional li fe support capability. Another US addition is the Centrifuge 
Accommodations Module, CAM, it is a US Laboratory facility for performing research at variable gravity levels. Node 3 
and the Cupola are in work but are not shown is the assembly sequence and not officially part of the ISS program. The 
Cupola has been delivered to Kennedy Space Center and the plan is to attach it to Node 3 and if the Node 3 is not added 
it will attach to Node 2. The Node 3 life support systems are also not in the currently in the program, but they are 
required to support 6 crew. The Life support system is basically, an oxygen generator, a C02 scrubber and a water 
recovery system. If the ISS was to go from 3 to 6 crew, 4 Crew Quarters would replace 4 stowage racks in Node 2, and a 
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (toilet) would replace stowage racks in Node 3 (Fitts). 
Conclusions 
The purpose of the ISS is to perform research and one of the areas of research is on the effects of long duration space 
flight on humans. Areas of emphasis are: Loss of weight - bearing bone and muscle, Vestibular function , vestibular-
ocular reflex and sensorimotor integration, Cardiovascular alterations, Radiation Hazards, Psychological and social 
issues and Health care in long-duration flight. (ReMAP). Each ISS Expedition crew adds greatly to what we know about 
long duration space flight. The ISS celebrated the second armiversary of continuous residency and permanent human 
presence in space Nov. 2, 2002. As data on the effects of long duration space flight on humans ' accumulates it will 
become clear what the crew requires to stay healthy and function optimally on long duration space missions. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
Thanks go to the Crew Provisioning Working Group at JSC and the Operational Habitability group at JSC for providing 
insight into some of the challenges in living on-board the ISS. 
REFERENCES 
Miller, 1., "Habitable Volume", VIPER Data. 
Miller, 1., Sorge, L. , Miller, K. TOOTH ISS Rack Traffic Model and On-Orbit Topology. 
NASA, Website: http://spacefligbt.nasa.gov 
NASA FPWG, Website: http://iss-www.jsc.nasa.gov/ss/issaptiouiptlFPWG.html 
NASA MIO, Multi-Increment Manifest Document, SSP 50110 Rev. F, August 2000. 
CPWG Exp. 1, Logistics and Maintenance Crew Provisioning Expedition 1 Crew Debrief Minutes, April 2001. 
CPWG Exp. 2, Crew Provisioning Post flight Debrief Questions Expedition 2 Crew Debrief Minutes. 
CPWG Exp. 3, Crew Provisioning Post flight Debrief Expedition 3 Crew Debrief Minutes, January 2002. 
Fitts, D. , SLSD ISS Architectural Assessment, Briefmg, February 2000. 
ReMAP Task Force, Report by the NASA Biological and Physical Research, Research Maximization And Prioritization 
J 
(ReMAP) Task Force to the NASA Advisory Council, August 2002. 
SF6 Exp. 1, Operational Habitability Debrief Summary for International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 1, April 200 l. 
SF6 Exp. 2, Operational Habitability Debrief Summary for International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 2, August 2001 . 
SF6 Exp. 2, Operational Habitability POST FLIGHT Debrief Summary for International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 
2, October 2001. 
SF6 Exp. 3, Operational Habitability Post Flight International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 3, January 2002. 
SF6 Exp. 4, Operational Habitability International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 4 Post Flight Debrief Summary, 
September 2002. 
Walton, K. , Interim Assembly Sequence, Revision F (SSCN XXXX), PICB Presentation, September 11 , 2002. 
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