Topic: International Space Station's orientation in orbit
Teacher in space Member
Posts: 71 From: Registered: Sep 2013
posted 09-24-2013 07:23 AM
I could not find information of the International Space Station's position in space. I assume that it always has the same side towards Earth (the side where Cupola is), but which part of the ISS is leading? Or is there some rotation?
Jim Behling Member
Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
posted 09-24-2013 08:35 AM
The ISS "flies" with the truss perpendicular to the flight path with the Russian segment trailing (Node-2 forward) and cupola facing earth. This is a LHLV (local horizontal-local vertical) attitude. To keep this attitude as it orbits the earth, the ISS actually has to rotate once per orbit, because a vehicle in orbit would stay fixed in the same attitude in inertial space.
Teacher in space Member
Posts: 71 From: Registered: Sep 2013
posted 09-24-2013 09:29 AM
Thanks!
Headshot Member
Posts: 864 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 09-24-2013 09:49 AM
Thanks for asking the question, I have often wondered about this myself.