There’s a panoramic window on the International Space Station named after the observation decks that old-time train cabooses had.
The Cupola, as it’s known, includes six side windows and a big one in the center. An astronaut floating nearby can see 1,000 km of Earth below him or her. It’s the ultimate spot to keep an eye on a hurricane, or provide guidance to a crewmate wrestling the robotic Canadarm2 towards an incoming spacecraft.
Hard to believe it’s been three years since the astronauts on STS-130 installed it in February 2010. Below, check out the best of astronaut photography of or from the Cupola since that time.
From the outside, the cupola looks like a flying saucer. That’s Douglas Wheelock (Expedition 25) inside the window. Credit: NASAA green tint from an aurora is seen out the Cupola over the southern Indian Ocean. Credit: NASACanadarm2 makes some moves towards Japan’s robotic H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-3) during Expedition 32. Credit: NASAThe Cupola provides a portal to 215 million years in the past: The Manicouagan impact crater in northern Québec shows up nearly in the center of the main Cupola window. Credit: NASAThe STS-131 crew somehow organizes themselves on the small window in microgravity. Pictured are Commander Alan Poindexter, Pilot James P. Dutton Jr. and Mission Specialists Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Rick Mastracchio, Naoko Yamazaki, Clayton Anderson and Stephanie Wilson. Credit: NASANASA astronaut Ron Garan looking down at a night view of Australia from the International Space Station’s cupola..An Expedition 27 crewmember captured this cyclone over the north Pacific. Told you it’s a good view. Credit: NASAThe end effector — or grappler — at the end of the Space Station’s Canadarm 2 robotic arm is visible out the main window of the Cupola, with a view of our beautiful blue planet below. Credit: NASA.STS-130’s Nicholas Patrick casually hanging out beneath the cupola after helping install it. Credit: NASA
There have also been some stunning filmed timelapses from the Cupola, such as this one:
9 Replies to “10 Awesome Images of the Space Station’s Cupola”
totally awesome! thanks for sharing.
totally awesome! thanks for sharing.
That for me, has gotta be the best window in the universe. Stunning veiws,
I wanna go! I wanna go! I wanna go! take a look out those windows! That first image says it all…
It looks like that funky window behind The Emperor in Star Wars.
Whoever thought of including that must have read _A House in Space_.
Best.Window.Ever!
That firstimage of Tracy looking wistfully out of the windows. If that were me, I would be there for hours, not getting any work done.
That first wonderful shot of Tracie got me thinking of physics…what a wonderful feeling it must be for women in micro gee. I mean, their boobs must feel (and probably look 🙂 fantastic!
Isn’t physics wonderful?
(Hey, I’m just saying what EVERY man seeing those photos is thinking…)
totally awesome! thanks for sharing.
totally awesome! thanks for sharing.
That for me, has gotta be the best window in the universe. Stunning veiws,
I wanna go! I wanna go! I wanna go! take a look out those windows! That first image says it all…
It looks like that funky window behind The Emperor in Star Wars.
Whoever thought of including that must have read _A House in Space_.
Best.Window.Ever!
That firstimage of Tracy looking wistfully out of the windows. If that were me, I would be there for hours, not getting any work done.
That first wonderful shot of Tracie got me thinking of physics…what a wonderful feeling it must be for women in micro gee. I mean, their boobs must feel (and probably look 🙂 fantastic!
Isn’t physics wonderful?
(Hey, I’m just saying what EVERY man seeing those photos is thinking…)