Harmony Module Arrival Tripled Space Station Volume in 2007

On October 23, 2007, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off carrying the Harmony module to the International Space Station.

The module, originally designated Node 2, measured 14 feet wide and 24 feet long. Built by Thales Alenia Space in Italy for NASA, Harmony served as the second major hub module for the station after Unity. Its installation increased the station's total volume from the size of a three-bedroom house to that of a five-bedroom home.

Harmony was designed to connect disparate parts of the orbital complex. It provides the physical link between the European Space Agency's Columbus module and Japan's Kibo laboratory. The module houses five common berthing mechanisms that allow other station components to attach. Additionally, a docking port located on its roof permits visiting vehicles to park at the station.

During the STS-120 mission, astronauts initially attached Harmony temporarily to the Unity node. After the shuttle departed, the crew utilized the station's robotic arm to move the shuttle docking port. This maneuver cleared the path for Harmony to be moved to its permanent berth at the forward port of NASA's Destiny laboratory module. The relocation occurred within the roughly two-week duration of the flight.

Before the arrival of Harmony, the station had not received a new room since 2001. In that year, Russia attached the Pirs docking module, which was later discarded. The delivery of Harmony marked the start of a new phase in station expansion by providing the necessary connecting infrastructure for future growth.

Inside the module, eight payload racks are installed. Four of these racks contain avionics equipment. The remaining four are utilized for stowage or crew quarters. NASA astronaut sleeping arrangements are based within Harmony. The module's name was selected by the public through a NASA naming contest.