Space station

A space station is a term referring to a platform or facility built for use such as habitation, research or defense in a planetary orbit or deep space. The term is can also be applied to mobile facilities.

Overview
The first space station was the Russian's Salyut 1, launched on April 19, 1971. Following the success of the Salyut-series in the 1980s, the Russians launched the Mir on 20 February 1986. The Mir was the first modular space station capable of supporting multiple unit modules, thus allowing greater flexibility in operation, as well as removing the need for a single immensely powerful launch vehicle.

In 1998, five space agencies came together and initiated the International Space Station programme, a global effort to construct a space station for research purposes in a microgravity and space environment as well as serving as a landing platform for the testing of spacecraft systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon and Mars.

List of known human space stations

 * Casimir Station - a space station presumably in orbit over Reach.
 * Carinae Station
 * Fermion - a UNSC Remote Scanning Outpost based in the Epsilon Eridani system.
 * Lawrence Space Station - a human space station in the 26 Draconis system.
 * Unidentified ONI medical facility - an unidentified ONI medical station in Reach's orbit.
 * ONI orbital facility - an ONI station in orbit over Earth.
 * Orbital defense platform - a type of UNSC planetary defense station.
 * Athens Station
 * Cairo Station
 * Malta Station
 * Nassau Station
 * Gamma Station - a space dock in orbit around Reach.
 * Refit station - a mobile UNSC ship repair dock.
 * Anchor 9 - one of 18 refit stations in Reach's orbit.
 * , a refit station destroyed in the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV.
 * Lockhart medical station, a UNSC medical facility.
 * Ivanoff Station, a UNSC orbital research facility based in an asteroid field near Installation 03.
 * Station Wayward Rest - the terminal station of the Centennial Orbital Elevator.
 * Tiara - a space elevator anchor and terminal facility in orbit around Harvest.
 * Tripoli - a UNSC deep-space station.
 * Tripoli - a UNSC deep-space station.

List of known Covenant space stations

 * High Charity - the Covenant's mobile capitol and holy city
 * Unyielding Hierophant - a Covenant mobile fleet command center.