Onboard the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour, Dear & I are now on our way to our 3rd & last Tour Stop - here we’re looking at the Kennedy Space Center Railroad - haha a Railroad inside the Space Center - you can imagine how big the Space Center is ha!!

Anyway, the Kennedy Space Center Railroad runs from the Florida East Coast Railway at Cape Canaveral Junction into the Space Center, & it’s owned & operated by NASA.

An importation Transportation System in Kennedy Space Center, besides transporting Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) segments, ground support Equipment, & construction Materials, this Railroad is used to make Rail shipments, including Rocket fuel & oxidizer, to Cap Canaveral Air Forse Station (CCAFS).

Now, we pass by the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) :

And we also see Alligators along the way which Dear can’t help but say “Ha, so many of them around……so Scary!!!” hahah :

Soon, we arrive at Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour Stop 3 - International Space Station (ISS) Center :

Ever dreamed of Space Stations as staging points for Expeditions to the Planets & Stars, as Tourist Attractions, or even as New Cities & Colonies that could relieve an overpopulated Planet that we’re living in right now?!

The United States of America & Russia have had Orbiting Space Stations since 1971 & are now cooperating with other Nations to build the International Space Station (ISS), a Place that will maintain a permanent Human presence in Space.

Larger than any previous Space Station, the International Space Station (ISS) - a Research Facility currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit, is the largest artificial satellite in Earth Orbit as at todate in 2009. On-orbit construction of the ISS started in 1998, & it’s scheduled to be completed by 2011, with operations continuing till 2015.

Now, let’s watch the following Video (self-taken by Me) on the Creation of the International Space Center (ISS)  which Dear & I see upon entering the International Space Station (ISS) Center here at Kennedy Space Center :

Dear & I have now entered the International Space Station (ISS) Center, where we see a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPL) :

A large pressurized Container used on Space Shuttle Missions to transfer Cargo to & from the International Space Station (ISS), the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPL) is carried in the Cargo Bay of the Space Shuttle & berthed to the Unity or Harmony Module (which I shall explain later), where supplies are offloaded, & finished experimenst & waste are loaded. After which, the MLP is reberthed in the Space Shuttle to return to Earth.

Next we check out the Habitation Module (HAB) to experience how the Space Crews live, sleep & work at the International Space Station (ISS) :

Designed to be the International Space Station’s main Living quarters, the Habitation Module (HAB) comes with the following Space Toilet (or Zero Gravity Toilet) :

Can you see the 2 Foot-Straps in the above pic - these are used to hold the Astronauts’ feet since there’s zero gravity.

Called the Waste Collection System (WCS), the collection & retention of liquid & solid waste is directed by use of air flow, as in the Hoses shown in the following pic - one of which acts as the urinal, in the absence of gravity.

And these solid waste is exposed to vacuum to kill pathogens, & bacteria to prevent odor problems :

Now, here’s a Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) :

The SSRMS is the primary component & actual arm of the Mobile Servicing System (or MSS - known as Canadarm2) - a Robotic system & associated equipment on the International Space Station (ISS).

It plays a key role in Station assembly & maintenance such as moving equipment & supplies around the Station, supporting Astronauts working in Space, & servicing instruments & other payloads attached to the Space Station.

Next, let’s look at the Unity Connecting Module (or Node 1) - the first US-built component of the International Space Station (ISS), Node 1 has 6 berthing locations facilitating connections to other modules :

Here’s Dear standing beside “Utlity Hub” (or Node 2) of the International Space Station (ISS) :

Also known as Harmony, this “Utility Hub” (or Node 2) contains 4 racks that provide electric power & electronic data, & acts as a Central connecting point for several other components via its 6 Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) :

We’re now looking at the Laboratory Module (LAB) - the Operating Facility for US Research Payloads aboard the International Space Station (ISS), where Astronauts conduct Research in numerous Scientific fields. And Scientists throughout the world use the results to enhance their studies of Medicine, Biotechnology, Physics, Material Science, & Earth Science.

Here’s a Biotech Drawer Rack inside the Laboratory Module (LAB) where Plants are grown in a microgravity environment at the International Space Station (ISS) :

Below’s the Human Research/GASMAP EQUIP :

There’re 2 research Objectives of the Human Research Facility (HRF) on the International Space Station (ISS) -

Firstly to conduct Basic Research on Humans in Microgravity that can be of benefit to solving biomedical problems experienced by people on Earth.

And secondly to conduct Operational Research about how Humans adapt to Micogravity, & evaluate the physiological, behavioral & chemical changes induced by Space Flights, which can be used to further develop improved countermeasures to the negative effects of long-duration Space Flights on Human bodies.

As for the Gas Analyzer & Metabolic Analysis Physiology (or GASMAP), it’s a device to measure Crew members’ inhaled & exhaled breath stream to determine gas concentration.

Shown below are close-up views of the Blood & Urine Samples from the Human Research/GASMAP EQUIP :

Next we see the Gravitational Bio Rack where Plant Research & other Biological experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) are conducted, with studies on how changes in the gravitational field influence living organisms :

Here’s a close-up view of one of the 2 Temperature Recorders on the above Gravitational Bio Rack :

And close-up view of the numerous Plants & Veggies grown inside the Rack :

Dear’s now standing inside the International Space Station (ISS) Center at Kennedy Space Center, about to go up to the Visitor Viewing Gallery towards his left-hand side :

We’re now on the Visitor Viewing Gallery, stopping to snap pics…………

And soon, Dear & I reach the High Bay Overlook where we see more Exhibits :

We’re now looking at Mir (or Russian word for “PEACE”) - a Soviet (later Russian) Orbital Station - the first Space Station to be assembled in Orbit by successively connecting several Modules, each launched separately from 1986 to 1996.

Mir was the world’s first consistently inhabited long-term Research Station in Space, holding the record for longest continuous Human presence in Space. And American Space Shuttles (from the Shuttle-Mir Program) visited Mir 11 times, bringing supplies & providing Crew rotation.

In addition, much of the Hardware for the International Space Station (ISS) had been tested on Mir.

In March 2001, Mir was deliberately de-orbited, disintegrating during re-entry over the South Pacific Ocean :

Dear’s now reading Exhibits of the first US Space Station - Skylab, which provided critical Spaceflight experience & proved that Humans could live in Space for months at a time.

Launched in 1973 aboard a modified Saturn V Rocket & visited by Crews 3 times in 1973 & 1974, the 100-ton Skylab was on Earth’s Orbit till 1979 - Its research, especially in the field of Microgravity ( or weightlessness), had improved groundwork for the International Space Station (ISS).

The followings are Exhibits on the Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA), which was used to connect Apollo Space Capsules to Skylab Orbital Work Shops. The Adapter also contained Instruments that controlled Skylab’s environment, Solar Telescope, & Earth Sensors :

Here’s a display of the Windmill-like structured Apollo Telescope Mount (or ATM) - a Solar Observatory (that was connected to Skylab) that observed the Sun, Stars & Earth, & controlled several instruments on the Solar Telescope :

And this below pic shows the Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) Interior where Astronaut Edward Gibson who was a Skylab 4 Science Pilot, standing at the Apollo Telescope Mount (or ATM) - & the Docking Port of the MDA is visible below the ATM - pic of Skylab 3 taken during the “Fly-around” inspection just prior to docking :

Now, see the following pics of a Replica Skylab showing its Interior - Home, Office & Labortory for the Astronauts :

It’s my honor now to be holding hands with a Skylab Astronaut heheh :

Well, actually it’s all about the Spacesuit worn by Skylab Astronauts during their extravehicular activities (EVAs) :

From the Exhibits Gallery inside the International Space Station (ISS), Dear & I proceed to the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) via the following Bridge :

We’ve now arrived at the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) :

A 3-storey building located in the Industrial area at Kennedy Space Center, the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) is built for the processiing of International Space Station (ISS) Flight Hardware :

The SSPF includes 2 Processing Bays, an Airlock, Operational Control Rooms, Laboratories, Logistics Areas, Office Space, & a Caffeteria :

The Processing Bays, Airlock & Laboratories are designed to support non-hazadous Station & Space Shuttle Payloads in 100,000 class clean Work areas :

The below pics show the Exhibits Gallery of the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) :

The International Space Station (ISS) can be seen on Earth with our naked eyes, & now the ISS is the 2nd brightest object in the night Sky, even brighter then Venus, & 2nd only to the Moon :

Well, here’s a Youtube Video on how you can watch the International Space Station (ISS) from your community on Earth - have fun :

Dear & I spend about 45 mins inside the International Space Center (ISS), & now we’re outside waiting for the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour to bring us back to the KSC Visitors Complex :

And of course here’s a self-portrait of Dear & Me heheh :

And soon after, our Bus Tour arrives & here’s when Dear & I notice that the Bus is actually a “Kneeling Bus” - hahah what’s that?!?! cos we’ve never ever heard about a Kneeling Bus!! What a name!!!

Haha see the below left bottom pic with the words ”KNEELING BUS” - Well, the Bus can actually lower itself to allow deployment of a Wheelchair ramp for easier boarding of Wheelchair-bound commuters - very efficient & interesting!!

Notice the Orange button on the pic - the Bus Driver just needs to press this button to release the air out of the brakes & suspension systems to lower the Bus. But then I wonder if anybody would just press the Button anyhow at any time at any where! Oh dear can you imagine that!!

Well, I shall see you all again back at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Visitor Complex later okie!! In the meantime, do enjoy my following Slideshow of all photos taken of this Post :