The International Space Station and Denmark, Part I: From Skylab to Shenanigans

Abstract

ISS is not only an technological flagship - it is also a collaborative and political project on an unprecedented scale. Carol Anne Oxborrow introduces a series of articles about Denmark's role in the ISS. In Part I she gives an accessible but technically sound review of the station's construction, history and daily activities. We learn about the central modules (Columbus, Kibo, Cupola etc.), preparations for space walks (EVAs) and the difference between weightlessness and zero-gravity. The article busts some popular myths about life in space and explains why astronauts must acclimatize themselves for space walks. The Cupola modules gets special attention since it is important for the astronauts' mental wellbeing and is the site of Danish experiments such as Thor. We also follow ESA's astronaut selection process and Andreas Mogensen's path to his ISS missions - from grotto exploration to weightlessness training in the huge pool of NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab. The article is both engaging and informative and sets the scene for the next chapter in Andreas Mogensen's space missions.