On 01 Jul 2004 04:39:18 GMT, "Jorge R. Frank"
wrote:

So, given the risks of spacewalks, why are any sub-system modules
placed outside?

minimize the number of connections through hatches (lesson learned from Mir),

Er, the timing of the Mir collision incident and ISS design completion
seems to preclude this being a "lesson learned". More likely, someone
thought of it ahead of time and was vindicated by the Progress/Mir
collision. That person or team who pushed such a design must have been
feeling pretty pleased with themselves after that. :-)

Brian