
The Cupola
Clip: Episode 4 | 1m 44sVideo has Closed Captions
Terry Virts helps build the cupola, a window that forever transformed how we see the Earth.
Astronaut Terry Virts reflects on the profound impact of seeing Earth from the Cupola, the seven-windowed observatory module on the International Space Station. Hailed by the New York Times as “a new window that forever changed our view of Earth,” the Cupola’s panoramic views have allowed astronauts from across the globe to marvel at our home planet.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

The Cupola
Clip: Episode 4 | 1m 44sVideo has Closed Captions
Astronaut Terry Virts reflects on the profound impact of seeing Earth from the Cupola, the seven-windowed observatory module on the International Space Station. Hailed by the New York Times as “a new window that forever changed our view of Earth,” the Cupola’s panoramic views have allowed astronauts from across the globe to marvel at our home planet.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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[Shuttle taking off] On my first spaceflight on the space shuttle Endeavor, we brought up two modules, node three, which is a big living module, and the cupola.
And the cupolas, everybody's favorite place in space.
It's a really cool module, it's got seven windows.
You go in there, you put your whole body inside of it, and you're surrounded by six windows.
And then there's a seventh big window above you.
I moved it to the bottom of node three, so it's on the bottom of the space station.
So when you look up, there's Earth.
It's really an amazing experience.
The New York Times described it as a new window that forever changed our view of Earth I love that description, a new window that forever changed our view of Earth.
It changed my view of Earth, for sure.
And the cupola makes you feel emotional, which is an unusual experience for a fighter pilot to feel emotions.
But it's, it's an intense emotion to go, man, this is so beautiful.
Just see things that you don't see on Earth.

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