NASA added a big new room to the space station in 2007

The space shuttle Discovery launched on October 23, 2007, carrying the Harmony module to the International Space Station. The mission, designated STS-120, transported the structure to orbit to serve as a central utility hub. This delivery represented a major physical expansion for the outpost, altering its internal layout and capacity.

Harmony measures 14 feet wide and 24 feet long, a span comparable to a minibus. Italy-based Thales Alenia Space constructed the module for NASA. It was originally designated Node 2, making it the second hub in the station’s structure after Unity, or Node 1. The design includes five common berthing mechanisms, which provide standardized connection points for other station components.

Prior to the arrival of Harmony, the station’s most recent addition had been Russia’s Pirs docking module in 2001, a unit that has since been discarded. The gap in construction meant that 2007 marked the start of a new phase in the station’s growth. Harmony was intended to link future modules, including the European Space Agency’s Columbus laboratory and Japan’s Kibo research facility.

Upon arrival, astronauts initially attached Harmony to the Unity node for temporary storage. Once the shuttle departed, the crew utilized the station’s robotic arm to maneuver the shuttle docking port at the Destiny module. This action cleared the path for the permanent installation of Harmony. The module was then berthed at the forward port of the Destiny laboratory.

The installation of Harmony increased the station’s internal volume from the size of a three-bedroom house to that of a five-bedroom house. The module now connects the Columbus lab on its starboard side and the Kibo lab on its port side. A docking port on the roof also allows visiting cargo vehicles to park at the station.

Inside, Harmony contains eight payload racks. Four of these racks house avionics systems, while the remaining four are used for storage or crew quarters. The American astronaut sleeping quarters are located within this module. The name Harmony was selected by NASA through a public naming contest.