After John Glenn returns from space, the next U.S. shuttle launch will be carrying the Unity Connecting Module for the International Space Station. The Dec. 3 launch will be the first of many U.S. launches for the ISS.

ISS is a collaborative effort among 16 countries worldwide. According to NASA specifications, the station will be about 350 feet by 290 feet and will weigh more than one million pounds.

ISS will be able to house up to seven astronauts upon completion. It will be orbiting the earth at an average of 220 nautical miles, which is called Low Earth Orbit and is considerably lower than communication satellites, according to NASA’s International Space Station Web site.

William Byrd, professor of aerospace engineering and associate director of the Institute for Physical Research and Technology, said the space station will establish a presence in space for humans, and this presence leads to technological advances.

“You really don’t know how to use an environment until you live there,” Byrd said.

Byrd foresees a permanent human presence in space allowing for more experiments to be conducted and ideas tested.

“Just being there is going to produce a lot of opportunities,” he said. “I am hoping that there will be more time; that people with ideas and concepts [will be able to test them in space].”

One possible obstacle ISS faces is Russia’s economic problems.

NASA recently announced that it reached an agreement with the Russia Space Agency to purchase $60 million worth of services and hardware from the RSA. This agreement ensures the launch dates for the first several ISS launches.

“Earth orbit will become a day-to-day construction site for five years beginning in 1998,” according to the Web site. NASA is developing new robotics and assembling new and experienced spacewalkers for the project.

The station will lead to scientific research opportunities as well as commercial benefits, according to the Web site. Some of these benefits may include improvements to communication technologies, more efficient uses of energy and techniques for lower cost construction.