Astronauts put the last big addition on the International Space Station early Friday, attaching a new room with an enormous bay window that promises to provide unprecedented panoramic views of Earth. The room, named Tranquility, was hoisted into place by a giant robot arm as a pair of spacewalking astronauts floated nearby, excitedly watching everything take shape. The Tranquility hookup job is so big and complicated it will require three spacewalks. Thursday night's excursion was the first. Tranquility and the domed lookout represent $400 million in home improvements. The lookout, with its seven windows, including the largest ever sent into space, already has astronauts salivating over the anticipated views of the home planet, as well as their orbital home. The dome – which resembles a bay window 5 feet deep and nearly 10 feet in diameter – will be moved to its final location on Tranquility next week. Only then will the window shutters be unlocked and raised. The central window is a circle 31 inches across. The six surrounding windows are smaller and shaped like trapezoids. The Italian-designed Tranquility will house life-support equipment, exercise machines and a toilet.
