Mission Phase 2
Up and at'em, recruits! It's time to put years of academy training to use! We've docked with the space station, and we've got a mission to complete! Since the year 2000, astronauts from the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia and Japan have lived aboard this working laboratory.
When the station is completed in the year 2010, it will provide quarters for a crew of six who will be living and working side by side in an area that is equivalent to a five-bedroom house. The station is the most complex engineering project that human life-forms have ever undertaken. It is the result of teamwork and international cooperation, all working toward expanding humanity's presence across the solar system. Biological and physical experiments take place in onboard laboratories, and additional experiments are conducted outside the station in the harsh environment of space.
Our task cards for this mission indicate an EVA, that's extravehicular activity, or spacewalk for you rookies! And installation of the Japanese Kibo pressurized module. Kibo is Japan's primary contribution to the station and is a complex facility. Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide is assigned as mission specialist to assist with the assembly, activation and checkout of the Kibo component.
Cadets, it's time to put your training and international knowledge to the test by playing Mission Matchup! See if you can correctly discover and match international contributions to human life-form's quest to reach to infinity and beyond!
Mission Matchup Game
Mankind has been interested in the stars and space for hundreds of years. For years many visionaries worked independently of one another developing ideas and innovations that other generations would eventually build upon. Scientists from around the world are continuing the work that laid the foundation for modern flight and space travel. Today, there is a spirit of international cooperation among space agencies and countries whose work will benefit humankind and ultimately lead to the completion of the ISS in 2015.
Canada
On November 13, 1981, the Canadarm was flown into space as an integral part of the ISS. Canada continues to expand the robotic arm with its newest addition Dextre in 2008.
Germany
F. Graf Zepplin built and tested the first Zepplin airship in 1900. Nine years later, Zepplin founded the first airline company, launching Germany's long history of air transportation.
Japan
This country’s contribution to the ISS is the Kibo laboratory. It will be assembled over three missions. Kibo means hope in Japanese.
France
French brothers, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier are credited as pioneers and developers of the hot air balloon. In 1783, they conducted the first untethered flights.
Russia
Russia's launching Sputnik marked the world's first artificial satellite in space. In 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first man launched into space.
U.S.A.
In 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. With his first step, he said, "That's one small step for man…one giant leap for mankind."
Brazil
On March 30, 2006, Marcos Pontes became the first Brazilian astronaut from in space. He traveled to the ISS where he spent one week conducting experiments for his country.
Italy
Italian Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) made some of the earliest known scientific observations on the subject of flight.
