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Space Station: Difference between revisions
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* Polyus<ref>"Pole"</ref> (1987): A planned Almaz station, carrying a CO<sub>2</sub> laser designed for anti-satellite warfare. Launched upside down due to space restrictions in the Energia, the intention was to yaw the station 180 degrees before firing rockets to place it in permanent orbit, but a failure in the inertial guidance system caused the maneuvering jets to rotate the craft 360 degrees, sending it careening into the atmosphere over the South Pacific.
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* [[wikipedia:Manned Orbital Laboratory|Manned Orbital Laboratory]] (1963-1969) A proposed all-military station that was essentially to be a manned spy satellite. Test vehicles were launched and astronauts were trained, but [[What Could Have Been|the project was cancelled]] due to cost overruns and the fact that unmanned satellites had become cheaper and more reliable. Several of the MOL astronauts transferred to the NASA astronaut program and flew in the [[Space Shuttle]].
* Skylab (1973–79): NASA's only self-launched and operated space station, operated from 1973-1974. During its launch one of its main solar wings and the main sunshade was torn off, and the second wing was jammed against the side of the hull by a metal strap, resulting in a loss of power and dangerously high internal temperatures. The first crew sent there was able to release the remaining wing and erect a sunshade that brought temperatures back to survivable levels. Plans were floated to bring Skylab back into functional status for several years, but NASA was ultimately convinced that the Shuttle would not be operational in time to return to Skylab before its orbit decayed too far to recover. Deorbited in 1979, it was replaced by the Spacelab attachment for the Shuttle Orbiter. Debris from the station landed in the Shire of Esperance, Australia, which responded by issuing a [[Refuge in Audacity|$400 fine for littering]] to the US government.
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=== International ===
* ISS (1998–present): Biggest one yet built. Core consists of components from the planned Russian station Mir-2 (Zarya FGB and Zvezda Service Module) and American station Freedom (Integrated Truss Structure). [[Europe|ESA]], [[Japan|JAXA]], and [[Canada|CSA]] have all contributed components.
** [http://heavens-above.com/ If you want to see where it currently is, go here]
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