Cupolas... in... SPAAAACE!

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

NASA is making progress on a 20-year, multi-million dollar project: a cupola for the International Space Station:

"June 26, 2009: The crew of the International Space Station (ISS) is about to get a new … dome, called the Cupola, (it) is literally studded with windows for observing Earth, space, and the marvelous expanse of the ISS itself."

“The Cupola, named after the raised observation deck on a railroad caboose, is designed as an observation platform for operations outside the station–e.g., robotics, spacewalks, and docking spacecraft.”

Author: Dauna Coulter | Editor: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/26jun_cupola.htm?list1280158

Assembled in Turin, Italy, the 1.8 ton frame is forged from a single piece of alminum. Its original cost estimate, 20 million euros, is about the same as one space-tourist visit.

Now who says there’s no market for dome cars?

2

They could hace had the pair of ends off the Milw’s Hiawatha Observation cars fore LOT CHEAPER PRICE! tHEY WOULD LOOK A LOT NICER THAN A CUPOLA FROM AN OLD CRUMMY[alien]

3

The comet shields are probably out-dated on those Hiawatha cars. They would also, of course, need retention toilets.

Coming soon in Trains magazine --how to take train pictures from space!

4

[(-D] I assume you’re referring to the Page 54-55 in the August TRAINS Magazine, in the Fantrip section? I wrote the skyscraper section and took the photo…

I actually read about how the astronauts take photos from the ISS recently. They use Nikon and Kodak equipment, and an 800mm lens… I want one of those! [8D]

5

I hope that the cupola isn’t like the cupola on the “shoving platform” at my local NS yard… The windows are painted over red![:P]

6

This makes my list of “Top 10 funniest ‘subject’ lines for the year !” [(-D]

(Similar to the “Pigs …in… SPACCCE !” segments from The Muppet Show.)

Thanks for sharing, and the comments.

  • Paul North.
7

Lovely!

Johnny