ISS Destiny Laboratory

The Destiny laboratory is one of the United States' biggest contributions to the International Space Station (ISS). Built by Boeing, the $1.38 billion Destiny Laboratory was delivered to the ISS by Space Shuttle Destiny in February 2001. Destiny was attached to the ISS and activated over the course of three space walks by astronaut Tom Jones.

The Destiny Laboratory is designed to accommodate a wide variety of scientific studies. Destiny allows scientists to study experiments and physical properties in a zero-gravity environment. The results of such tests have practical applications on Earth while also paving the way for future space exploration.

Other uses for the Destiny Laboratory include:

The Destiny Laboratory is also the base of operations for the ISS robotic arms, providing a vital part of the ISS' day-to-day operating capabilities.

Destiny was designed to make the maximum use of available space. The interior walls are divided into 23 possible payload racks, with the window where a 24th rack would otherwise be.

Each rack weighs 550 kg, and five of the racks provide necessities such as:

When its construction is complete, Destiny will have experiment racks on both sides of its laboratory, on its deck and on its ceiling. As with the rest of ISS, Destiny is designed to be as independent as possible.

The Destiny Laboratory is composed of three cylindrical sections joined together with end cones at either end of the lab. Destiny is 28 feet long, has a diameter of 14 feet and weighs 33,000 pounds in Earth gravity.

 

Each end cone contains a berthing hatch. One of the hatches, permanently connected to the ISS Unity, is always open except in the event of an emergency. The other hatch receives payloads from space shuttle visits. Both hatches have windows.

Space is a harsh environment, where even a small amount of damage can have tragic consequences. First and foremost, the Destiny Laboratory is designed with the safety of ISS crewmembers in mind.

Destiny's exterior hull is laid out in a waffle pattern that provides the hull with extra strength. A debris shield blanket is wrapped around the hull to protect it against micro-asteroids and space debris. The same materials used to create bulletproof vests were also used to build the Destiny's debris shield.

The Destiny Laboratory's final layer is an aluminum debris field, which covers the thicker debris shield blanket.

Destiny's window is, obviously, a vulnerable spot in its protective layers. To counter this problem, a shutter covers the window when it is not in use. Crewmembers using the window must open the shutter manually.

In the coming years, the Destiny Laboratory will play an important role in daily life on the ISS. As a technical and engineering achievement, Destiny is one of the U.S. space programs' most ambitious projects that has incredible potential.

 

 

Andrews Space and Technology (2001). ISS Destiny (U.S. Laboratory Module): Summary. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from the Space and Tech Web site.
 
NASA (updated 23 November 2007). U.S. Destiny Laboratory. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from the NASA Web site.
 
Wade, M. (n.d.). ISS Destiny. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from the Astronautix Web site.