Portal:Space exploration/Featured/August 2007

Zvezda (Russian: Звезда, meaning "star"), also known as the Zvezda Service Module, is a component of the International Space Station (ISS). It was the third module launched to the station, and provides some of the station's life support systems, as well as living quarters for two crewmembers. It is the structural and functional center of the Russian portion of the station - the Russian Orbital Segment.

The module was manufactured by S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia and is currently the only fully Russian-built and funded module besides Pirs. (Zarya was built by Russia, but was funded and is owned by the United States). Zvezda was launched on a Proton rocket on July 12, 2000 and docked with the Zarya module on July 26. The rocket used for the launch was one of the first to carry advertising; it was emblazoned with the logo of the fast food chain Pizza Hut, for which the company paid US$1 million.

On July 26, 2000, Zvezda became the third component of the ISS when it docked at the aft port of Zarya. (Zarya had already been attached to the U.S. Unity module.) Later in July, the computers aboard Zarya handed over ISS commanding functions to computers on Zvezda.

Recently featured: Joseph Francis Shea – Shuttle-Mir Program – Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39