The International Space Station is the largest science and technology project in the history of humanity, a symbol of international cooperation and the joint effort of the world's leading industrialized nations. The five key partners are Canada, the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency (composed of eleven European nations). Construction began in late 1998 with launches of the first two components - the Russian module Zarya and the US module Unity. Several more elements have since been installed, including the US Science Lab, Destiny, and the work is expected to continue until 2006, requiring a total of some 50 space flights.

Canada has been involved from the outset and its role evolved naturally from its participation in the Space Shuttle program and the development of the Canadarm, the Shuttle's robot arm. Without the use of Canadian robotic technologies, the International Space Station simply could not be built. Canada's major contribution to ISS, the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) scheduled for delivery and installation in April, 2001, will allow construction of the Space Station to progress. Once installed, the Mobile Servicing System will move around the huge floating structure like an inchworm for assembly and repair work.

Contribution of the SSRMS accomplishes two important goals for Canada.

1. It encouraged the continued evolution of Canadian expertise in robotics. We've already seen the benefits in job creation, the development of advanced skills and also in terms of spin-offs. These spin-off applications include a robotic vision system that can monitor hazardous waste containers for leaks, an instrument that checks aircraft landing gears and a radar vision system that enables emergency workers to see through smoke.
2. It bought Canadian scientists access to the Space Station's research facilities. It entitles Canada to a 2.3% share of the "racks" used to hold scientific equipment inside the non-Russian part of the Station, plus access to exterior platforms for instruments that function in open space. This amounts to the use of one full rack per year over the lifetime of the Station. In addition, Canada's astronauts are entitled to a minimum of one three-month tour of duty on the Station every three years. The Station offers an opportunity to expand the scientific research that Canadian scientists have been doing for years on the Shuttle.

In Canada, there's interest in two broad areas of space research.

1. One involves understanding and exploiting the near-absence of gravity, known as microgravity, to develop new processes and materials, such as novel alloys and drugs that cannot be made on Earth.
2. The second focuses on space life sciences - studying the impact of the space environment, including microgravity, on humans and other living things. These studies are particularly crucial to ensure the health and safety of humans who live and work for ever-longer periods of time on the Station, and who may eventually venture farther afield to the Moon or Mars. Past Canadian experiments conducted on the Space Shuttle have implications for health problems on Earth, such as motion sickness, backaches, insomnia, osteoporosis and muscular weakness.

This teaching guide, Why An Orbiting Laboratory?, focuses on Canada's interest in research in a microgravity environment. It covers curriculum expectations from the Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes K-12, Pan-Canadian Protocol for Collaboration on School Curriculum, Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), 1997 for grades 5/6/7.

The Canadian Space Agency's Youth Outreach Program produces downloadable resource materials for teachers and students. Visit:

The student:

Criteria	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
	approaching the standard		the standard	exceeding the standard
Understands basic scientific concepts	shows understanding of few of the basic concepts	shows understanding of some of the basic concepts	shows understanding of most of the basic concepts	shows understanding of all or almost all of the basic concepts
	demonstrates significant misconceptions	demonstrates minor misconceptions	demonstrates no significant misconceptions	demonstrates no misconceptions
	gives explanations showing limited understanding of the concepts	gives partial explanations showing some understanding of the concepts	usually gives complete or nearly complete explanations showing understanding of the concepts	always gives complete or nearly complete explanations showing understanding of the concepts
	communicates with little clarity and precision	communicates with some clarity and precision	generally communicates with clarity and precision	consistently communicates with clarity and precision
	rarely uses appropriate science terminology and units of measurement	sometimes uses appropriate science terminology and units of measurement	usually uses appropriate science terminology and units of measurement	consistently uses appropriate science terminology and units of measurement