Crews Repositioned Harmony in 2007 to Unlock a Permanent Docking Port
The 24-foot hub delivered by the space shuttle Discovery transformed the International Space Station into a larger, multi-national laboratory complex.
By Marek Collins ·
On October 23, 2007, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off carrying the Harmony module, a move that effectively doubled the living and working space available to astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Harmony measures 24 feet long and 14 feet wide, a size comparable to a minibus. It was built by Italy-based Thales Alenia Space for NASA and serves as a central utility hub. The module houses the sleeping quarters for American crew members and contains eight payload racks, four of which hold avionics equipment while the others provide storage or crew space.
The installation expanded the station from the size of a three-bedroom house to that of a five-bedroom home. Before Harmony arrived, the last new module added to the complex was Russia’s Pirs docking module in 2001. That module has since been discarded, leaving a six-year gap in station growth before the launch of STS-120.
Astronauts initially attached Harmony to the Unity node as a temporary measure. Once the shuttle departed, the crew used the station’s robotic arm to move the shuttle docking port from the Destiny laboratory. This maneuver cleared the forward port of Destiny, allowing Harmony to be secured in its permanent position.
Harmony, originally designated Node 2, functions as a connector for other international contributions. It links to the European Space Agency’s Columbus module on the starboard side and Japan’s Kibo laboratory on the port side. The module features five common berthing mechanisms for future attachments, and its roof includes a docking port where visiting cargo vehicles can park.
The name Harmony was selected through a public contest organized by NASA. The module represents the second NASA-led hub for the station, following Unity, or Node 1. Its arrival marked the start of a new phase of expansion by providing the necessary connection points for subsequent international laboratories and service vehicles.
The two-week STS-120 mission concluded with Harmony fully integrated into the station’s forward structure. The module now serves as the primary interface for European and Japanese facilities, anchoring the station’s current geometric layout and supporting its role as a multi-national research platform.
Source: Space.com
