Shuttle delivery in 2007 tripled space station living area
The Harmony module expanded the ISS from a three-bedroom to a five-bedroom scale and linked European and Japanese laboratories.
By Tunde Bailey ·
A delivery in 2007 changed the daily reality for astronauts on the International Space Station by adding 5,000 cubic feet of new volume. On October 23, 2007, the space shuttle Discovery launched on the STS-120 mission carrying the Harmony module. This arrival expanded the habitable space of the orbiting outpost to the equivalent of a five-bedroom house, up from the size of a three-bedroom home.
Harmony measures 14 feet wide and 24 feet long, roughly the length of a minibus. Built by Italy-based Thales Alenia Space for NASA, the module serves as a utility hub. It was originally designated Node 2, following Unity, which is known as Node 1. The module contains five common berthing mechanisms that act as connection points for other station components. NASA selected the name Harmony through a public contest.
Upon arrival, astronauts temporarily attached Harmony to the Unity node. After the shuttle departed, the crew used the station’s robotic arm to move the shuttle docking port on the Destiny module. This maneuver cleared the forward port for Harmony’s permanent placement. The module now sits beside Destiny, linking the European Space Agency’s Columbus laboratory on its starboard side and Japan’s Kibo laboratory on its port side. A docking port on the roof allows visiting vehicles to park there.
The addition marked a shift in the station's growth timeline. Before Harmony, the last new room added was Russia’s Pirs docking module in 2001, which has since been removed. Harmony provided the necessary infrastructure to attach future modules. Its installation enabled the complex to accommodate the expanding international laboratory sections.
Inside the 24-foot module, eight payload racks are installed. Four of these racks hold avionics equipment. The remaining four are used for stowage or crew quarters. NASA’s astronaut sleeping areas are located within Harmony. The module also supports visiting cargo ships that dock with its available ports.
The STS-120 mission lasted approximately two weeks. The flight concluded with the relocation of Harmony from its temporary position at Unity to its permanent spot at the forward port of Destiny. This reconfiguration finalized the layout that connected the American, European, and Japanese segments of the station.
