"Space Station" is a misnomer

[Whirligig Girl]

A Station is, by definition, something that is stationary (the world or object reference frame is not moving). But a space station is constantly moving relative to everything except the contents of the station. Sure, it doesn't accellerate, it stays in roughly the exact same orbit, but it's still moving at a rather alarming rate.

Perhaps a name such as "Orbion" A portmanteau of Orbit and Station. Or maybe just accept that "Station" is a holdover term. Yeah, probably just do that.

Technically, they're called Orbital Laboratories, but even official names of the most prominent of orbital laboratories refer to the "International Space Station"

[lajoswinkler]

Station means you get there to stop moving... there. It does not reflect the (non)motion of the place you're going to.

[razark]

Station has multiple meanings. Not all of them require something to be stationary.

But:

Trains go to train stations. Buses go to bus stations. Spaceships go to space stations.

[Kerbart]

A Station is, by definition, something that is stationary

Not really. The word station is derived from latin statio which means "to stand." It would basically refer to a place where people/animals would stand on duty while waiting to receive jobs to perform. Waiters stand at a station. Horses stand at a station (I don't think it's a coincidence that the word stable has the same stem but I'm not a etymologist). The firebrigade stands at a station.

The "non moving part" of stationary does not necessarily refer to the station itself, but to what the subjects of interest do at a station: standing (idling/waiting, etc). The station is where you keep things standing and they are stationary. A space station is a place where space ships dock; they don't orbit around it but remain in a stationary position with the station.

[Kryten]

Turns out train 'stations' follow a constant motion around the centre of the earth, too. Shouldn't this apply to them as well?

[kerbiloid]

Station means some installation you can definitely find at its known place to do something with it.

No need to be stationary or even orbiting. It can be mounted in a car, attached to a bicycle or flying to stars.

[PakledHostage]

I wonder if, while we're at it, we can look up the definition of "pedantic"?

[Camacha]

I wonder if, while we're at it, we can look up the definition of "pedantic"?

GregroxMun and his pedantics!

[cantab]

So buses stop at bus stations, trains stop at train stations, and spaceships stop (kinda) at space stations.

I'm currently typing this on my workstation.

[*Aqua*]

If you are that pedantic* you'll have to consider that every station on the surface moves, too. The Earth rotates. So if a station is defined by staying at the same place in reference of the Earth's surface every geostationary satellite would be a station.

According to my dictionary a station could be a place where a person can stay or rest. This definition fits the ISS and a train station but not a geostationary satellite.

* It's always good to be pedantic in science.

Edited December 5, 2014 by *Aqua*

[kerbiloid]

Soldering station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldering_iron#Soldering_station

Weather station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_station

[GoatRider]

Stationery:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stationery