Drifted across some videos of the International Space Station (ISS).
Was truly "spaced out" as I couldn't take my eyes off this fantastic fete of human ingenuity.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
-The largest artificial satellite,
with a greater cross-sectional area than any previous space station.
-Can be seen from Earth with the naked eye
-ISS is a combination of several space stations:
*American Freedom*
*Soviet/Russian Mir-2*
*European Columbus*
&
*Japanese KibÅ*
Budget restraints led to a joint venture and merge of multi-national programs.
-Power's provided by 16 solar arrays spanning an acre
-Previously it had cost $10,000 to ship a pint of fresh water to space,
but with the "Water Recovery System" astronauts will be their own filtered urine
-a section of the ISS was set to be named after Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report
after a contest was held, but instead was restricted to a treadmill,
thus astronauts are constantly walking all over the political commentator.
Formerly his DNA was sent into space.
-weighs about one million pounds
-measures 361 feet end-to-end (the equivalent of a football field including end zones)
-ISS completes 15.7 orbits per day traveling at 17,239 mph
-ISS is a cooperation of 14 separate nations
-Once completed the station will be larger than a 5 bedroom house
-is believed to be the most expensive object ever created ranging from $35 billion to $160 billion
-it's 55 foot robot arm will be able to lift 2220,000 pounds
-controlled by 52 computers and 8 miles of wire
-Japanese internet tycoon Daisuke Enomoto filed a lawsuit to have $21 million returned
after he was promised a space walk he didn't receive due to health problems and
rather was confined to the Russian sector of the ISS unbeknownst to the Russian crew.
VIDEOS:
International Space Station Tour
1 2 3
STS119 fly around (HD)
Earth view from ISS (HD)
City Lights from Space
Space Jam
Track the location of the ISS
ISS live feed
When contemplating any aspects of our mundane lives in contrast to the sheer magnificence of the Universe, you just can't help but realize how insignificant we truly are.
All the civil disputes & even wars matter not in the grandiose scheme of things.
The Hiltons, Lohans, Kardashians, & other false demi-gods are irrelevant in the depths of darkness.
Kinda puts all earth problems on hold for that split second of contemplation.
Epiphany if you're lucky enough.....
