Welcome to the third bit of a six-part-long series on all things space! Each month, a new article featuring a fascinating aspect of space will be uploaded. From asteroids to comets to stars – anything and everything will be included! Read carefully, for when the series comes to an end, there will be a SuperTrivia to test your knowledge on space. Happy Reading!
As discussed last month, scientists are always on a mission to uncover new facts. Doing so on land is easy, but in space where gravity is zero and there is neither oxygen or water, things get a little difficult. To make their job easier, fifteen countries worked together to make the International Space Station.
The space station flies 400 kilometers above the earth, and is fast enough to circle the globe in ninety minutes! Although the ISS is the largest object sent by humans into space, at its full capacity only six people are allowed to be inside. However, it once held thirteen people for a few days during crew changeovers.
What exactly do the astronauts do up there? Well, in the International Space Station (or ISS), there are astronauts from different space agencies – such as NASA – who perform experiments. Power, data and cooling facilities are available.
By sending astronauts to the ISS, NASA is able to examine the long-term effects of space on human health. This is well help them understand whether humans can survive on Mars or the moon. The crew aboard the ISS also carries out regular maintenance and repair work, and sometimes even have to space-walk to do so. The station is controlled by two main mission control centers located in Moscow and Houston. These centers also assist the crew aboard the ISS.
Did you know it is possible for you to spot the space station in the sky? It appears brighter than the star, Venus, and so is easily visible by the naked eye. All you have to do is download the NASA app, enter your city/town and it will tell you when the space station will appear in the sky. You won’t even need a telescope!
The ISS is just one of the amazing advancements humans have made in recent times. Up until fifty years ago, nobody could have imagined such a feat being possible. It just goes to show the creativity and innovation Allah has blessed us humans with. Our ability to think and learn is what makes us Ashraf-ul-Makhluqaat (Best of Creation), and is a gift from Allah. Therefore, our brains must be used wisely, and to the best of our capabilities, for both religious as well as secular matters. Only then, will the human race prosper.
By: Hamna Salman
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