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| International Space Station |
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Canada's Contribution
The mobile servicing system is Canada's contribution to the International Space Station (ISS), and it will play a key role in both the in-orbit construction of the ISS, and general station operations during the 10-year planned life of the facility.
The system consists of equipment and facilities on the Space Station as well as on the ground. Canadarm2 and the mobile base system are already on the ISS. These will soon be completed by the special purpose dexterous manipulator, Dextre.
The Space Shuttle's Canadarm and Canadarm2 on the ISS will continue to play a crucial role in the assembly and maintenance of the ISS. Once installed, astronauts and cosmonauts will be able to use Dextre to manipulate delicate objects, and to remove or replace components of the ISS. Dextre can be operated as an attachment at the end of Canadarm2 or directly on the mobile base system.
The Canadian Space Agency has also developed the Canadian space vision system, which astronauts and cosmonauts are currently using to support Canadarm2 operations to move large objects.
The mobile servicing system (MSS) is a critical component of the ISS. It allows astronauts and cosmonauts to work from inside the Station, thus reducing the number of long and difficult spacewalks.
The MSS Operations Complex at the Canadian Space Agency in Longueuil, Quebec, is the ground base for the system. Locating it at the Agency headquarters ensures the infrastructure, resources, equipment, and expertise that are needed for logistics support, ground-processing and sustaining engineering, monitoring of the condition of the system, as well as for training astronauts and cosmonauts.
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