Space Stations in Space

The space stations are the artificial spacecraft structure, which is essential for supporting human crew to stay in space for a long time. Usually, this space station is placed in orbit and it has a pressurized enclosure, an environment system necessary for supporting the habitat of human beings in space and power supplies. Depending on the configuration of the space station, the term and activities of the space station will vary. This article will explain what space stations are and how many space stations there are in space, types of space stations and which country has space stations and many more in detail. 

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What Are Space Stations And How Many Space Stations Are There In Space? 

A space station is also known as an orbital station, they revolve around the earth. Usually, the space station is a large man-made spacecraft that act as a home for astronauts to live in space and facilitate them to receive several spacecraft from the earth.  The space stations are mainly used to observe military reconnaissance, investigation about the behaviour of materials and biological systems, the behaviour of the sun and other astronomical objects, the study of earth resources and environment, microgravity and many more. This space station helped astronauts to find mysteries occurring in the earth and space.  It is like a science lab present in space, scientists from many countries together will work on creating space stations and utilizing them. 

Astronauts built the space station by compiling several pieces together in space and created a space station. A space station was placed approximately 250 miles above the earth.  Initially, NASA designed the space station and explored the working and living in the space station to explore space.  As of 2020, there are two space stations in the world, one is  Tiangong 2 and the International Space Station (ISS).  In that, the International Space Station was only under usage. 

How Many Space Stations Are There In Space? 

Initially, there were many space stations in the world, which were designed and operated by various countries in the world. Almas, Skylab, Salyut series, Mir and Tiangong-1 are the list of space stations constructed by various countries. The Salyut 1 was the first space station designed by the Soviet Union, later they upgraded the model to Salyut 9. Many other countries like the USA, Russia and  China also had their own space station. But, currently, the International Space Station (ISS) was the only active space station in orbit. 

China initiated the Tiangong 2 project in September 2016, mainly to test the advanced life support and refuelling and resupply capabilities.  Recently China developed the Tiangong 2 space lab in July 2019. This space station is a precursor space station of the country. This space station is mainly designed to maintain an inhabited space station in low Earth orbit. China’s Tiangong 2 space station was a 10.4 meters long spacecraft that was hosted by two astronauts.  

 Soon India’s ISRO is going to announce the project of constructing spacecraft.  Indian space station name is Indian Human Spaceflight Programme 

About International Space Stations (ISS) 

Scientists around the world designed the International space station mainly for the astronauts to explore space. This was created with new technology, the astronomical environment and geological research. So, the space stations should not be named flying laboratories in space. The International space station is one of the largest spacecraft that was built on the orbit of Earth on 20th November 1998. Russia was the first country to launch the first initiative to build a space station.  It took two years for them to complete the structure of the International Space station. The International space station was opened for the use of astronauts on 02nd November 2000. This space station has many solar panels. So, the weight of the international space station is approximately about 391000 kilograms. The International space station is designed to facilitate six astronauts, they can stay for six months. 

The space station was kept at an average height of about 248 miles above the earth surface. This International space station will revolve around the globe for every 90 minutes at a speed of about 17,500 meters per hour, which is 28,000 km/h.  This speed is about the distance traveled from the Earth to the moon and back in a day. Later, European countries, the United States, Japan, Canada and Russia were combined together and developed the international space station. This was the world’s largest international cooperative programme in science and technology.

Still, in 2021, about 230 people from 18 countries visited the International Space station for research work. Indian researchers, Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams are also doing their research work by staying in the International space station. On 02nd September 2017, Peggy Whitson made a record by staying around 665 days in the space station. 

The international space station contains only two bathrooms. So, the urine excretes of the astronauts and animals will be recycled and returned to the station drilling water supply. This will help them to provide the necessary water supply and face water shortage. 

The oxygen required for the astronauts will be available from the process of electrolysis. To move inside the space station, the astronauts will use the spacewalk. The Russian astronaut, Alexei Leonov was the first person to prepare a spacewalk on 18th March 1965. 

About Tiangong - 1 Space Station 

The Tiangong - 1 is a prototype space station launched by China. The Tiangong -1 space station is also known as the Heavenly Palace. This was located about the earth's surface above the southern pacific ocean.  The length of the space station is about 10.4 meters long. According to China’s latest report, the Tiangong space station lost its contact with the China National Space Administration in March 2016. Then the Tiangong space station remains floating in the atmosphere. The width of the Tiangong -1 space station is about 11 feet and its weight is around 9 tons. This space lab contains two main parts namely,  "experimental module" and  "resource module". The experimental module will help the astronauts to visit space. The resource module helps astronauts by providing solar energy and a propulsion system. 

Challenges Faced By Scientists For Designing Space Stations 

To have a human habitat in the space station environment, scientists are facing long term and short term problems, while designing the space station. The challenges are providing limited air supplies, satisfying water needs, food needs, required to maintain waste heat management, and high levels of ionizing radiation in the solar system. Because of this, astronauts are facing many long term health issues like balance disorders, muscle atrophy, eyesight disorders, bone deterioration, and increased risk of facing cancer. The space stations have artificial gravity by rotating structure, which will decrease week by week, month by month. 

The space station designed by the scientists has radiation shielding to protect from external radiation. This will also provide the on-site agriculture ecosystems inside the space station. 

Other than these two space stations, many countries designed the space stations in different years. But many of the space stations are under research work and some space stations lost their control and that remains unoperated. This entire article provided what space stations are and how many space stations are there in space and a list of space stations in the world, space station names and many other details are explained here in detail.