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A baseline design has been selected for the Space Station Habitat (HAB) element. The HAB provides the primary living space to support man's permanent presence in space. The HAB element is designed to provide an environment that maximizes safety and human productivity. This paper outlines some of the current design features including the common core elements and the man-systems hardware. The HAB is arranged in three areas based on crew activity and acoustical considerations. The first area is the quiet zone, which contains the crew quarters. The second area is a buffer zone for noise suppression, where the stowage, medical facilities, and personal hygiene facilities are located. The third area is the active zone which contains the galley/wardroom, laundry and exercise facilities. Each of these three areas will be discussed together with the applicable requirements, the common utility elements, and the man-systems hardware furnishings.

Life sciences research in the Space Station era will provide an enhanced opportunity for studying gravitational biology. This will be made possible by extending the duration of research from a few days on the current space transportation system (STS) Spacelab to almost unlimited duration in a Space Station laboratory setting. Plants and animals will be used extensively in studying gravitational phenomena. In many instances animal models will be used to study human responses to prolonged space flight where invasive techniques are required. New hardware developments will be necessary to accommodate plant and animal species in a long-duration facility. This is especially true for the plant and animal confinement systems, centrifuge (artificial gravity) systems, and cleaning and washing facilities for cages and enclosures. This paper discusses these technology development items and the critical issues that need to be solved.