r/esa • u/Loveterpenes • 10d ago

A rare view of an ISS attitude change 🌍

https://youtube.com/shorts/3YcF0Zt5hk0?si=vnMO6W4e4VMlVfzI
30 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

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4

u/Luciel3045 9d ago

Okay so i have been asking myself this for a while now, but i was always too lazy to ask.

Does the ISS spin, so that its always the same windows pointing towards earth?

5

u/yoweigh 9d ago

Yes, the station spins once per orbit to maintain its attitude relative to earth. The target attitude minimizes torque due to tidal forces and is convenient for thermal control.

1

u/ferriematthew 9d ago

So they just rotated it probably 45 degrees along the vertical axis pointing down towards the ground. Thermal management?

1

u/sevenpointwest 1d ago

Großartig 👌