The Cupola is a “shirtsleeve” module with six trapezoidal side windows and a circular top window of 80 cm in diameter, making it the largest window ever flown in space (providing a panoramic view of Earth). The Cupola is an aluminum structure of 2.95 m (max) in diameter, 1.5 m high with a mass of ~1800 kg. TAS-I (Thales Alenia Space-Italia) was the prime contractor of the Cupola (Italian for 'dome'). The Cupola was provided by ESA to NASA in exchange for the transport of 5 external payloads (barter agreement). In addition to serving as an observation and work area when the crew operates the Station’s robotic arms, it also provides excellent views of Earth, celestial objects and visiting vehicles. The European-built Cupola was added to the ISS in 2010 and continues to provide the best room with a view anywhere. ISS Utilization: Cupola Observation Module of the ISS
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