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Delivered by the space shuttle Atlantis to the space station and attached Feb. 10, 2001, the activation of the Destiny was hailed as a major landmark in space exploration. Astronaut Tom Jones performed three spacewalks to complete the process. Destiny is the U.S. lab, and in Jones' words, "the guts of the space station's research and command and control capabilities." The lab supports a wide range of experiments and studies, providing researchers an unparalleled opportunity to study physical processes in the absence of gravity. The Destiny consists mainly of modular research racks that can house utilities and experiments. The Destiny's window makes possible high quality photos and video, giving geologists and meteorologists the opportunity to view floods, avalanches and fires like they never have before. The Destiny is a three-piece aluminum cylinder 28 feet long and 14 feet in diameter.
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