International Space Station (ISS)

Back dropped by Earth's horizon and the blackness of space, the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, Harmony, is featured in Space Shuttle Discovery's cargo bay during the STS-120 mission. This image was photographed by an Expedition 16 crew member on the International Space Station (ISS) while Discovery was docked with the station. The aluminum node is 7.2 meters (23.6 feet) long and 4.4 meters (14.5 feet) in diameter. Its pressurized volume is 75.5 cubic meters (2666 cubic feet), and its launch weight is approximately 14,288 kilograms (31,500 pounds). The installation of Harmony increases the living and working space inside the station to approximately 500 cubic meters (18,000 cubic feet). It also allows the addition of international laboratories from Europe and Japan to the station.