On Sunday, November 2, 2014 1:51:46 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:
No, I don't think any part of the ISS is in "constant shadow". I
believe it rotates as it orbits the earth, and different parts of it are
in the shade at different times. I could be wrong, though - I've never
been there
Hard to say.. Some parts away from the sun may stay dark during a
daylight pass, but they may be lit on other passes, depending on
the direction and angles to the sun. I suspect they want to keep the
solar panels towards the sun as much as possible, but the panels
themselves may be steerable to some degree.
I've never been there in person, but I've been there via camera
on many an orbit. Watching the planet from that platform can be
good wholesome entertainment for the whole family.
The station itself does not really appear to roll at all.
Or at least that can be detected on a lit pass, and using the
earth as a "roll indicator" of sorts.
But anyone can watch for themselves as long as they are in
contact, and not on a nighttime pass. The cameras they are using
don't seem to be too sensitive at night. IE: I hardly ever notice
the lights below on a dark pass. Of course, they zip around the
planet in about 90 minutes time.. So quite a few chances during a
day to see what parts of the station are lit, and which are not.
Some cameras, like the one I'm watching right now do not show the
station at all, while the one they were using a few minutes ago did.
At this moment they are fixing to pass into darkness over the Atlantic.
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload