Robotics Workstation in the International Space Station’s Cupola

At the robotics workstation in the International Space Station’s Cupola, NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, Expedition 36 flight engineer, participates in onboard training activity in preparation for the grapple and berthing of the Japanese "Kounotori" H2 Transfer Vehicle-4 (HTV-4) set for August 9, 2013. 

Nyberg and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy will use Canadarm2, the station's Canadian Space Agency-provided robotic arm, to reach out and capture the vehicle for its installation on the Earth-facing port of the Harmony node. 

Image Credit: NASA

ISS Astronauts' View of the Earth viewed through the ESA Cupola

A view of Earth as seen from the Cupola on the Earth-facing side of the International Space Station. 

Visible in the top left foreground is a Russian Soyuz crew capsule. 

In the lower right corner, a solar array panel can be seen. 

This photo was taken from the ISS on June 12, 2013. 

Image Credit: NASA

Nasa ISS crew meet up in the ESA Cupola

NASA astronaut Kevin Ford (lower right), Expedition 34 commander; along with Russian cosmonauts Evgeny Tarelkin (left) and Oleg Novitskiy, both flight engineers, pose for a photo in the ESA Cupola of the International Space Station.

The Canadarm2 robotic arm's Latching End Effector (LEE) is visible through a window in the background.

ESA ISS Cupola: A view of the ISS from inside

Looking through one of the unshuttered windows of the ESA Cupola at the solar arrays and the Earth below.

Credit: ESA, NASA

NASA - Commander Kelly on the Station

Credit: NASA

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, Expedition 25 flight engineer, is pictured in the ESA Cupola of the International Space Station on Oct. 14, 2010.

NASA has selected Kelly for a one-year mission aboard the station in 2015.

Kelly will join Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko on a mission that will collect scientific data important to future human exploration of our solar system.

The goal of the yearlong expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory is to understand better how the human body reacts and adapts to the harsh environment of space.

Data from the 12-month expedition will help inform current assessments of crew performance and health and will determine better and validate countermeasures to reduce the risks associated with future exploration as NASA plans for missions around the moon, an asteroid and ultimately Mars.

ScienceCasts: ISS Transit of Venus - YouTube

High above Earth, astronaut Don Pettit is about to become the first human to witness and photograph a transit of Venus from space. His images and commentary will be streamed to Earth during the crossing.

'Artis de Marsis' Zoo Mascot in the ESA Cupola

'Artis de Marsis' (Amsterdam zoo mascot) in the ESA Cupola of the ISS.

Credit: ESA/NASA

ESA Cupola Image: Egirdir Golu in Turkey

This unusual image was photographed through the Cupola on the International Space Station by one of the Expedition 30 crew members.

The lake just above the bracket-mounted camera at center is Egirdir Golu in Turkey, located at 38.05 degrees north latitude and 30.89 degrees east longitude.

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft is docked to the station at lower right and part of the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) can be seen just above it.

The photo was taken on Dec. 29, 2011.

Image Credit: ESA/NASA

NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services: Cygnus Spacecraft delivered

NASA's partnership with industry to develop transportation to the International Space Station reached another step Aug. 23, as the cargo module for Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Cygnus spacecraft, which will carry supplies to the station, arrived at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled for a demonstration flight early next year on an Orbital Taurus II launch vehicle under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement with the company. All photos credit: NASA/Wallops Flight Facility

Thales Alenia Space reports it has shipped its first Pressurized Cargo Module, designed to transport cargo to the International Space Station, to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The PCM, developed on behalf of Cygnus prime contractor Orbital Sciences Corporation, was carried by an Antonov An-24 cargo plane.

At Wallops, Orbital will integrate the PCM with the Service Module (including the avionics, propulsion subsystem and power supply) to produce the complete Cygnus spacecraft.

This vehicle will fly a demonstration mission in early 2012, using Orbital's Taurus II launcher, under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement.

Read more on this story from the Thales Alenia Space PCM side

Following the demonstration flight, within the scope of the CRS (Commercial Resupply Service) contract signed by Orbital and NASA, Thales Alenia Space will provide Orbital with eight more pressurized modules for cargo missions to the International Space Station, including crew supplies, spare parts and scientific experiments.

The first PCM will be followed by three more units in "standard" configuration, capable of transporting up to 2,000 kg of cargo each, along with five "enhanced" configuration units, boosting payload capacity to 2,700 kg.

The CygnusTM spacecraft comprises a Service Module (SM) built by Orbital, and a Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) developed by Thales Alenia Space.

Building on 30 years of experience in space infrastructures and transportation systems, Cygnus PCM developed by Thales Alenia Space calls on the company's skills and expertise developed through previous programs for the International Space Station.

Previous Thales Alenia Space programs include; the MPLM (Multipurpose Logistics Module), built by the company on behalf of the Italian space agency for NASA, and the ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) Cargo Carrier, built by Thales Alenia Space for the European Space Agency (ESA).

Thales Alenia Space is a major contributor to the International Space Station, as a key player in the Columbus laboratory and prime contractor for Node 2, Node 3 and the Cupola.

NASA, ESA, Canada, Russia, Japan: International Partnerships work

In this view of the International Space Station's Cupola, a variety of modules and components of the station showcase the contributions of the many nations making up some of the international partnerships behind the space station.

On the left is the ESA Cupola, backdropped against black space, and on the right are various components of the orbiting outpost, including ESA Node 3 (NASA call it Tranquility), on which the Cupola is mounted and (ESA's Columbus) the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module.

In the background is a Russian Progress resupply spacecraft. This image was taken during the spacewalk conducted on July 12, 2011.

Image Credit: ESA/NASA

ESA Cupola and an Astronaut's view from space: “It’s amazing!”

Paolo Nespoli, ESA’s astronaut working and living on the Space Station, is sharing his experience with the world via a constant flow of beautiful photos and tweets. Let’s hear from Paolo what he thinks about the photos, Twitter and being in space.

Paolo has been in space now for almost two months on his MagISStra mission, with a hectic schedule of working on experiments, doing International Space Station (ISS) housekeeping and maintenance, supporting the docking of two cargo craft and conducting robotic work, as well as daily training. But he has still found time to tweet from space.

A view of the Tropical Cyclone Yasi as it moves over Australia's Queensland.

This picture was taken by ESA's ISS Astronaut Paolo Nespoli through the Cupola window.

NASA image from ISS: Chad

South west area of the Tibesti Mountains, Northern Chad

NASA ISS Image: Doug Wheelock image

"The ‘Cupola’, attached to the nadir side of the space station, gives a panoramic view of our beautiful planet," said Expedition 25 commander Doug Wheelock.

"Fyodor (Yurchikhin) took this picture from the window of the Russian Docking Compartment (Airlock).

Here I am in the Cupola preparing a camera for our late evening Hurricane Earl flyover … trying to capture the moment …"

Image Credit: NASA

NASA: Views from the ISS Cupola

 A good view of the Earth and the Soyuz Progress 40 supply vessel attached to the ISS.

Morning breaking over the majestic Andes in South America

A night view of the Nile River winding up through the Egyptian desert toward the Mediterranean Sea.

NASA Astronaut: ISS Commander Kelly

Commander Kelly taking a private moment in the ESA developed Cupola, a window in the ISS.

(Not for release to the Press)

International Space Station Image: Approaching the ISS

The ESA Cupola is on view in this amazing image of the ISS taken by Ralf van de Bergh.

Thanks to our friends @TWISST for this picture. You can read all about these dedicated ISS observors at www.twisst.nl/what-is-twisst

NASA Shuttle Endeavour: Coming Home

This view of the port side of space shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay was recorded after separation from the International Space Station on Feb. 19, 2010, as the STS-130 astronauts prepared for a Feb. 21 landing, after spending over a week working in tandem with the Expedition 22 crew members aboard the station.

Other than the docking system hardware, the cargo bay is empty after delivering the Tranquility node and the new cupola to the orbital outpost.

Image Credit: NASA

NASA & ESA Celebrate Success of Cupola Installation on ISS,

Astronaut Nicholas Patrick participates in extravehicular activity as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station.

NASA Tranquility and Cupola Opening Ceremony: A Window on the Earth

A simple ceremony to open the Tranquility and Cupola for business. They took the opportunity to make a moving tribute to astronaut Charles Lacey Veitch and the others responsible for it's construction.