US Astronaut Barry Wilmore, Commander of Expedition 42 aboard the International Space Station (ISS) looks out of the Cupola viewing station taking in the sights of the blue orb of Earth while on a break from science and maintenance duties.
The Cupola is a panoramic control tower for the ISS with windows through which operations on the outside of the station can be observed and guided. Through the robotics workstation, astronauts are able to control the space station’s robotic arm, which helps with the attachment and assembly of various station elements, very much like the operator of a building crane. Spacewalking activities can also be observed from the Cupola along with visiting spacecraft and external areas of the station.
iss042e078481 (12/28/2014) Larger image