International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking (2024)

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The ISS is an orbital laboratory and has hosted more than 250 people since 1998.

International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking (1)

Jump to:

  • ISS questions answered by an expert
  • Location
  • ISS speed
  • Life on the International Space Station
  • Size
  • Inside the ISS
  • Visitors
  • Records in space
  • International Space Station and Russia
  • Additional resources
  • Bibliography

The International Space Station (ISS) is a multi-nation construction project that is the largest single structure humans ever put into space.

Its main construction was completed between 1998 and 2011, although the station continually evolves to include new missions and experiments. It has been continuously occupied since Nov. 2, 2000.

The ISS is not owned by one single nation and is a "co-operative programme" between Europe, the United States, Russia, Canada and Japan, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). The International Space Station costs about $3 billion per year for NASA to operate, roughly a third of the human spaceflight budget, according to the agency's Office of the inspector general.

Related: International Space Station: Live updates

As of May 2022, 258 individuals from 20 countries have visited the International Space Station. The top participating countries include the United States (158 people) and Russia (54 people). Astronaut time and research time on the space station are allocated to space agencies according to how much money or resources (such as modules or robotics) they contribute.

The ISS includes contributions from 15 nations. NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia) and the European Space Agency are the major partners of the space station and contribute most of the funding; the other partners are the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. Through a private company called Axiom Space, private astronauts are starting to work on the orbiting complex, from time to time; additionally, astronauts from other nations such as the United Arab Emirates do fly occasionally to the ISS.

International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking (2)

Current plans call for the space station to be operated through at least 2024, with the partners discussing a possible extension. NASA has approved an extension to 2030, although Russia says it will withdraw after 2024 to focus on building its own space station around 2028. How the station will be operated after Russia's departure has not yet been determined. After 2030, plans for the International Space Station are not clearly laid out either. It could be deorbited, or recycled for future commercial space stations in orbit.

Crews aboard the ISS are assisted by mission control centers in Houston and Moscow and a payload control center in Huntsville, Ala. Other international mission control centers support the space station from Japan, Canada and Europe. Elements of the ISS are controlled by mission control centers in Houston or Moscow.

ISS questions answered by an expert

We asked Raphael Grau, deputy manager of NASA's International Space Station External Integration Office, a few frequently asked questions about the ISS.

International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking (3)

Raphael Grau

Raphael Grau is the deputy manager of NASA's International Space Station External Integration Office.

How big is the ISS?

The International Space Station is 356 feet (109 meters) end-to-end with a mass of 925,335 pounds (419,725 kilograms) without visiting vehicles. The solar panels alone cover one acre. There is 13,696 cubic feet of habitable volume for crew members, not including visiting vehicles. The space station has seven sleeping quarters, with the ability to add more during crew handover periods, two bathrooms, a gym, and the cupola — a 360-degree-view bay window of the Earth. You can learn more in the reference guide here.

How high is the ISS?

The space station orbits Earth at an altitude of approximately 250 miles (402 kilometers), with its orbital path taking it over 90 percent of the Earth's population. Thanks to the size of its solar panels, it can be seen with the naked eye at dusk or dawn when flying over a local area. You can track the space station's path near you at spotthestation.nasa.gov.

Who owns the ISS?

The International Space Station is exactly that — international. It is a partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries who contributed different parts to make up the ISS, which are still owned by the respective partner, and we all help to continuously operate the station 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The space station is composed of parts provided by the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, and the countries comprising the European Space Agency.

How to see the International Space Station

The International Space Station orbits Earth, at an average altitude of 248 miles (400 kilometers).

At night, the ISS is visible from Earth, appearing as a luminous moving point of light and rivaling the brilliant planet Venus in brightness. It can be seen without the use of a telescope by night sky observers who know when and where to look.For more information on how to see and track the ISS, check out our guide.

You can also take pictures of the International Space Station with the right equipment; our guide takes you through how to photograph the ISS.

Related: This International Space Station VR experience lets you explore the ISS… and it’s as amazing as it sounds

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International Space Station speed

The ISS circles Earth every 90 minutes at a speed of about 17,500 mph (28,000 km/h). In one day, the station travels about the distance it would take to go from Earth to the moon and back.

Life on the International Space Station

There is typically an international crew of seven people that live and work inside the ISS. However, during the changeover of crew members, this number can vary; for example, in 2009, 13 crew members visited the ISS. This is also the record for the most people in space at one time. Occasionally, private missions such as those from Axiom Space bring non-professional astronauts on board the space station, too.

Typically, astronauts travel to the space station via SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule or, in the case of Russian cosmonauts, a Russian Soyuz capsule. The Soyuz was the primary form of transportation for all astronauts and cosmonauts after NASA’s space shuttle program retired in 2011. Crew Dragon began flying people starting with the Demo-2 mission that launched on May 30, 2020. Boeing's Starliner is preparing for launching humans after its successful uncrewed Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) in 2022.

Once at the station, astronauts will typically spend a mission period of around six months conducting various science experiments and maintaining and repairing the ISS. Outside of work, astronauts will spend at least two hours on exercise and personal care. They also occasionally perform spacewalks, conduct media/school events for outreach, and post updates to social media. The first astronaut to tweet from space was Mike Massimino, who did it from a space shuttle in May 2009.

Bedrooms in the ISS typically include small bunk beds. The astronauts tether themselves to a wall or allow themselves to freely float in the small space, depending on their preference. Crews temporarily visiting for just a few days may sleep in their spaceship or in a spare spot on the station, which is allowed as long as they tether themselves in space.

The ISS is a platform for long-term research for human health, which NASA bills as a key stepping stone to letting humans explore other solar system destinations such as the moon or Mars.

Related: First 'Guardian' in space: NASA astronaut on ISS enters Space Force

Human bodies change in microgravity, including alterations to muscles, bones, the cardiovascular system and the eyes; many scientific investigations are trying to characterize how severe the changes are and whether they can be reversed. Astronauts also participate in testing out products — such as an espresso machine or 3D printers — or doing biological experiments, such as on rodents or plants, which the astronauts can grow and sometimes eat in space. As the only microgravity laboratory in existence, the ISS has facilitated more than 3,600 researchers to conduct more than 2,500 experiments to date.

Astronauts only have limited spare time in space, but they use it for activities like looking out the window, talking with friends and family, taking pictures or doing hobbies like playing instruments or sewing. One astronaut, Mark Kelly, once donned a gorilla suit on the ISS in 2016 as a practical joke on ground controllers.

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Crews are not only responsible for science but also for maintaining the station. Sometimes, this requires that they venture on spacewalks to perform repairs. From time to time, these repairs can be urgent — such as when a part of the ammonia system fails, which has happened a couple of times. Spacewalk safety procedures were changed after a potentially deadly 2013 incident when astronaut Luca Parmitano's helmet filled with water while he was working outside the station.

NASA now responds quickly to "water incursion" incidents. It also has added pads to the spacesuits to soak up the liquid, and a tube to provide an alternate breathing location should the helmet fill with water. In May 2022, NASA suspended spacewalks again following another water incursion incident, which is still being investigated; Russian Orlan spacewalks are still continuing as that is an independently manufactured spacesuit.

NASA has produced several machines to reduce the need for spacewalks, including the humanoid Robonaut 2. The dexterous machine joined the ISS crew back in 2011, however, after discovering a fault in the machine, Robonaut 2 was sent home to Earth in 2018, for repairs. Also, onboard the ISS are several external robotic arms that can tackle maintenance issues remotely, such as the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) — also known as Dextre — and the Canadarm2 (a 57.7-foot-long robotic arm). A European Robotic Arm on the Russian segment will be the third large operational arm on the space station following the end of its installation and commissioning, which is ongoing in 2022.

How big is the International Space Station?

The space station, including its large solar arrays, spans the area of a U.S. football field, including the end zones, and has a mass of 925,335 lbs. (419,725 kilograms), not including visiting vehicles. The complex now has more livable room than a conventional 6-bedroom house and has 2 bathrooms, gym facilities and a 360-degree bay window. Astronauts have also compared the space station's living space to the cabin of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.

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Inside the International Space Station

The International Space Station was taken into space piece-by-piece and gradually built in orbit using spacewalking astronauts and robotics. Most missions used NASA's space shuttle to carry up the heavier pieces, although some individual modules were launched on single-use rockets. The ISS includes modules and connecting nodes that contain living quarters and laboratories, as well as exterior trusses that provide structural support, and solar panels that provide power.

Related: International Space Station at 20: A Photo Tour

The first module, the Russia Zarya, launched on Nov. 20, 1998, on a Proton rocket. Two weeks later, space shuttle flight STS-88 launched the NASA Unity/Node 1 module. Astronauts performed spacewalks during STS-88 to connect the two parts of the station together; later, other pieces of the station were launched on rockets or in the space shuttle cargo bay. Some of the other major modules and components include:

  • The truss, airlocks and solar panels (launched in stages throughout the ISS lifetime; docking adapters were launched in 2017 for new commercial spacecraft)
  • Zvezda (Russia; launched in 2000)
  • Destiny Laboratory Module (NASA; launched 2001)
  • Canadarm2 robotic arm (CSA; launched 2001). It was originally used only for spacewalks and remote-controlled repairs. Today it also is regularly used to berth cargo spacecraft to the space station – spacecraft that can't use the other ports.
  • Harmony/Node 2 (NASA; launched 2007)
  • Columbus orbital facility (ESA; launched 2008)
  • Dextre robotic hand (CSA; launched 2008)
  • Japanese Experiment Module or Kibo (launched in stages between 2008-09)
  • Cupola window and Tranquility/Node 3 (launched 2010)
  • Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module (ESA; launched for permanent residency in 2011, although it was used before that to bring cargo to and from the station)
  • Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (private module launched 2016)
  • NanoRacks Bishop Airlock (launched 2020)
  • Nauka, Multipurpose Laboratory Module (launched 2021)
  • Prichal, a Russian docking module (launched 2021)

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What else visits the ISS?

Besides the space shuttle and Soyuz, the space station has been visited by many other kinds of spacecraft. Uncrewed Progress (Russia) vehicles make regular visits to the station. Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle and Japan's H-II Transfer Vehicle used to do visits to the ISS as well until their programs were retired.

NASA began developing commercial cargo spacecraft for the space station under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, which lasted from 2006 to 2013. Starting in 2012, the first commercial spacecraft, SpaceX's Dragon, made a visit to the space station. Visits continue today with Dragon and Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services program. Boeing is developing its Starliner for future human visits, too.

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Records in space

The ISS has had several notable milestones over the years, when it comes to crews:

  • Most consecutive days in space by an American: 355 days, which happened in 2021-2022 with NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei.
  • Longest single spaceflight by a woman: 328 days, during American astronaut Christina Koch’s 2019-20 mission aboard the space station.
  • Most total time spent in space by a woman: Again, that's Peggy Whitson, who racked up most of her 665 days in space on the ISS.
  • Most women in space at once: This happened in April 2010 when women from two spaceflight missions met at the ISS. This included Tracy Caldwell Dyson (who flew on a Soyuz spacecraft for a long-duration mission) and NASA astronauts Stephanie Wilson and Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger and Japan's Naoko Yamazaki, who arrived aboard the space shuttle Discovery on its brief STS-131 mission.
  • Biggest space gathering: 13 people, during NASA's STS-127 shuttle mission aboard Endeavour in 2009. (It's been tied a few times during later missions.)
  • Longest single spacewalk: 8 hours and 56 minutes during STS-102, for an ISS construction mission in 2001. NASA astronauts Jim Voss and Susan Helms participated.
  • Longest Russian spacewalk: 8 hours and 13 minutes during Expedition 54, to repair an ISS antenna. Russian astronauts Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov participated.

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International Space Station and Russia

Russia is a major partner in the International Space Station, but that relationship is changing. In February 2022, Russia undertook an internationally condemned invasion of Ukraine. As a result, numerous international space partnerships were dissolved. Russia, the United States and the other ISS partners do continue to operate the space station as normal, for now, NASA has emphasized.

In July 2022, Russia announced it would withdraw from the ISS after 2024. Its goals, Roscosmos said, are to build a new Russian Orbital Space Station around 2028 or so. The withdrawal will be gradual and the international partners are in discussions about the transition.

The ISS cannot be separated into independent Russia and United States sections as the complex is interdependent. NASA has said the U.S. supplies power, while the Russians control major propulsion maneuvers. It may be possible to independently raise the orbit of the ISS through U.S. spacecraft, which NASA and its partners are testing.

The ISS does require such maneuvers to avoid falling into the Earth's atmosphere and dodging orbital space debris. Russia conducted an anti-satellite missile test in November 2021 that has seen debris come close to the ISS orbit and require the crews to shelter in place; at the time, NASA and the United States expressed displeasure with the situation.

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Additional resources

You can discover more about the ISS with this Haynes manual and through the eyes of the astronaut who lived there a year: Scott Kelly. Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery.

If you want to feel like you are living on the ISS yourself, look out the window of the ISS with this amazing visual guide: Interior Space: A Visual Exploration of the International Space Station: Photographs by Paolo Nespoli & Roland Mille.

Bibliography

European Space Agency. About the International Space Station. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/International_Space_Station/About_the_International_Space_Station

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Blog. (2020, Oct. 23). The 20 Most Frequently Asked Questions About the International Space Station. https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/blog/the-20-most-frequently-asked-questions-about-the-international-space-station

Garcia, Mark. (2021, Dec. 14.) International Space Station: Space Station Assembly. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/space-station-assembly

Garcia, Mark. (2022, March 30). NASA Station Astronaut Record Holders. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-station-astronaut-record-holders

Garcia, Mark. (2022, Aug. 9.) International Space Station. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

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Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time, freelancing since 2012. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science since 2015. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

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International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking (2024)

FAQs

International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking? ›

The space station has an internal pressurized volume equal that of a Boeing 747. More than 50 computers control the systems on the space station. More than 3 million lines of software code on the ground support more than 1.5 million lines of flight software code.

What are 5 interesting facts about the International Space Station? ›

10 Out-Of-This-World Facts About the International Space Station
  • It actually moves incredibly fast. ...
  • How do you go to the toilet? ...
  • You can see it from earth. ...
  • Your body changes. ...
  • They have the internet. ...
  • It's really, really big: the size of a football field, to be precise. ...
  • It's conducting some pioneering research.

What are 3 interesting facts about the International Space Station? ›

The space station has an internal pressurized volume equal that of a Boeing 747. More than 50 computers control the systems on the space station. More than 3 million lines of software code on the ground support more than 1.5 million lines of flight software code.

What is the history of International Space Station? ›

The first rudimentary station was created in 1969 by the linking of two Russian Soyuz vehicles in space, followed by other stations and developments in space technology until construction began on the ISS in 1998, aided by the first reusable spacecraft ever developed: the American shuttles.

What year did the space station fall to Earth? ›

On July 11, 1979, Skylab made a spectacular return to earth, breaking up in the atmosphere and showering burning debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia.

What is the most amazing space fact? ›

There is no atmosphere in space, which means that sound has no medium or way to travel to be heard. 2. THE HOTTEST PLANET IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS 450° C. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system and has an average surface temperature of around 450° C. Did you know that Venus isn't the closest planet to the sun?

How fast is the space station moving? ›

The ISS travels at about 17,500 miles/28,000 kilometers per hour. At this speed, the ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes, which gives the crew 16 sunrises and sunsets every day.

How many humans are in space right now? ›

As of June 9, 2023 there are 10 people currently living and working in space.

What are 2 benefits to the International Space Station? ›

The benefits derived from an orbiting laboratory are definitely not limited to space exploration. Examples range from the tangible, such as air purification and water filtration products, to the potential, such as cleaner combustion engines or medical scans that expose patients to lower levels of radiation.

Who owns the International Space Station? ›

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the ISS. The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

What was the first space station facts? ›

On April 19, 1971, the Soviet Union placed into orbit Salyut, the world's first space station. Designed for a 6-month on orbit operational lifetime, Salyut hosted the crew of Georgi T. Dobrovolski, Vladislav N. Volkov, and Viktor I.

How long will the ISS last? ›

But the ISS won't last forever. Stresses on the primary structure have accumulated over time, including the effects of changing temperatures as the station swings in and out of view of the sun. Last year, NASA announced that the station's operations would end in 2030, after which it will fall into the Pacific Ocean.

Why is the ISS shutting down? ›

There has also been a series of air leaks in the crew's living quarters. This structural fatigue is part of the reason the ISS will be vacated in 2030 and de-orbited the following year. NASA made this plan official in January when they released an updated International Space Station Transition Report.

When was the first death in space? ›

Vladimir Mikhaylovich Komarov, (born March 16, 1927, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. —died April 24, 1967, Kazakhstan), Soviet cosmonaut, the first man known to have died during a space mission. Komarov joined the Soviet air force at the age of 15 and was educated in air force schools, becoming a pilot in 1949.

How much is the space station worth? ›

The number of lives that would be saved might make the $100 billion spent on the ISS worth it. The ISS allows experiments to be conducted under microgravity, a quality that can never be replicated in any lab on Earth.

What is the rarest thing found in space? ›

Almost every galaxy can be classified as a spiral, elliptical, or irregular galaxy. Only 1-in-10,000 galaxies fall into the rarest category of all: ring galaxies.

What's the rarest thing to happen in space? ›

Radioactive decay that takes place over trillions of years.

A dark-matter detector buried under 1500 metres of Italian mountain has recorded what is arguably the most uncommon phenomenon in the universe – the decay of a Xenon-124 atom.

What does space smell like? ›

Other astronauts have described it in similar yet varying ways: "burning metal," "a distinct odor of ozone, an acrid smell," "walnuts and brake pads," "gunpowder" and even "burnt almond cookie." Much like all wine connoisseurs smell something a bit different in the bottle, astronaut reports differ slightly in their " ...

How much do astronauts get paid? ›

How much does a Nasa Astronaut make? As of Jun 5, 2023, the average annual pay for a Nasa Astronaut in the United States is $46,585 a year.

What keeps the ISS in space? ›

The International Space Station stays in orbit largely because of its extremely high orbital velocity of 27,600 km/h. This provides centripetal force that pulls against the force of gravity.

What has the ISS discovered that is most important? ›

Protein crystal growth experiments conducted aboard the space station have provided insights into treatments numerous diseases, from cancer to gum disease. One of the most promising results has come from the study of a protein associated with duch*enne Muscle Dystrophy (DMD), an incurable genetic disorder.

How long is 1 minute in space? ›

How far do you think light travels in a minute? To figure this out, multiply the distance that light travels in a second by 60 because there are 60 seconds in a minute. So light can travel 18,000,000 kilometers in one minute!

How long is 1 hour in space? ›

One hour on Earth is 0.0026 seconds in space.

Thus, upon calculation we find that one hour on Earth is equivalent to seven years in space. Einstein's theory of Special Relativity stands as a explanation to this calculation.

How long does it take to get back to Earth from space? ›

There is a de-orbit burn of about 10 minutes to return to Earth using forward bulkhead thrusters which then shut down. Astronauts close and lock the nose cone in prep for re-entry. Atmospheric re-entry begins, including a brief loss of communications (about 7 mins).

How many times have people been lost in space? ›

During spaceflight. As of March 2023, in-flight accidents have killed 15 astronauts and 4 cosmonauts in five separate incidents. Three of the flights had flown above the Kármán line (edge of space), and one was intended to do so. In each of these accidents the entire crew was killed.

Have any bodies been left in space? ›

Maiden flights. The first space burial occurred in 1992 when the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia (mission STS-52) carried a sample of Gene Roddenberry's cremated remains into space and returned them to Earth. The first private space burial, Celestis' Earthview 01: The Founders Flight, was launched on April 21, 1997.

How many bodies are left in space? ›

There are no dead bodies in space. Most of the spaceflight-related accidents have happened on land or before reaching the line that we consider space. This limit is called the Kármán line and is 100 kilometers (62 miles) above sea level.

How many space stations are there? ›

Since 1971, 12 space stations launched into a low orbit around Earth have been occupied for varying lengths of time.

Can I see the space station from Earth? ›

The ISS is only visible because it reflects sunlight. It isn't bright enough to be seen in the middle of the day and the best time to view the ISS is either at dawn or dusk. Viewing opportunities of the ISS can vary between one sighting a month to several a week, depending on your location and the orbit of the ISS.

What is the longest duration someone has lived in space? ›

Records in space

The late Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who logged 437 continuous days in orbit aboard Russia's Mir space station between 1994 and 1995, still holds that title.

How much do astronauts on the ISS get paid? ›

Pay grades for civilian astronauts are GS-11 through GS-14 with GS-11 starting at $64,724 per year and GS-14 earning up to $141,715 annually. However, the GS rates often have specific local rates that may differ from this.

Are Russians still on space station? ›

WASHINGTON — The Russian government has agreed to continue participation in the International Space Station to at least 2028, the last partner to agree to an extension of the station's operations.

Does Russia have space station? ›

Russia's next generation space station. With Russia leaving the ISS programme in 2024, Roscosmos announced this new space station in April 2021 as the replacement for that program. "Commercial platform supporting a business designed to enable science, research, and manufacturing for customers around the world."

Has anything ever hit the space station? ›

The ISS (International Space Station) is about the size of a football field, and thus an easy target for space debris. To solve this, it has to move its orbit to make sure it doesn't get hit. Every once in a while, the ISS gets hit by pieces the size of a paint chip and the crew need to repair the ship for weeks.

How old is a space station? ›

The first piece of the International Space Station was launched in 1998. A Russian rocket launched that piece. After that, more pieces were added. Two years later, the station was ready for people.

Why was the space station built? ›

The mission of the International Space Station is to enable long-term exploration of space and provide benefits to people on Earth. With six state-of-the-art laboratories, the Space Station will be the premiere research facility in space, four times larger and more capable than any previous space station.

Will the US build another space station? ›

NASA plans to begin assembling this space station, dubbed the Lunar Gateway, in 2024, and it expects it to play a pivotal role in its plans to maintain a human presence on the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars and beyond.

What will replace the space station? ›

Nasa also wants to build a new space station near the moon, known as the Lunar Gateway, with the help of international partners. Construction could begin later this decade.

Does the ISS ever come back to Earth? ›

The process will take several years as the ISS's orbit is gradually reduced by visiting spacecraft, eventually causing it to crash to Earth in January 2031.

What happens if ISS crashes? ›

Whatever parts of the ISS survive crashing into the ocean will sink to the bottom and join the other 263 pieces of space debris that have crashed into that region in the Pacific Ocean since 1971. NASA has no plans to retrieve the remains of the ISS.

Is NASA crashing the ISS into the ocean? ›

As the station ages, NASA reports that this decade in space will be its last. Sometime in 2031, the space agency plans to end the ISS's run by crashing it in the middle of the ocean. Crashing the station, which weighs in at 419,725 kilograms (more than 925,000 pounds), will not be easy.

What would happen if the ISS stopped working? ›

If NASA were to completely abandon the space station and make no attempt whatsoever to maintain it, the engines would eventually run out of fuel or suffer some kind of mechanical failure. Its orbit would decay—that's a space-y way of saying the station would get closer and closer to Earth—until it came crashing down.

What was the first crime in space? ›

According to the Times, NASA astronaut Anne McClain was accused by her estranged spouse, Summer Worden, of signing into Worden's personal bank account from a NASA-affiliated computer aboard the ISS.

What was the worst death in space? ›

STS-51-L: Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

The space shuttle Challenger disaster that occurred on January 28, 1986, marked one of the most devastating days in the history of space exploration.

Who was the man who fell from space? ›

Felix Baumgartner: 10 years on, the man who fell to Earth is still awed by experience. After six years of preparation, struggle and sacrifice, Felix Baumgartner found himself quite literally on the edge of the world. “I'm standing there on top of the world outside of a capsule in space and in the stratosphere.

How much was a ticket to space? ›

Currently, it is only available to those who can spend an average of $250,000 to $500,000 for suborbital trips (about a fifteen-minute ride to the edge of space and back) or flights to actual orbit at more than $50 million per seat (though typically a longer trip than 15 minutes).

How much did billionaires pay to go to space? ›

For roughly four minutes of weightlessness in suborbital space, the richest man alive spent around $5.5 billion. Bezos is worth approximately $205 billion, so paying for an exclusive space flight didn't really affect his day-to-day budgeting.

How much is a ticket to space worth? ›

Virgin Galactic sells a 90-minute ride to suborbital space for $450,000 per seat. Space Perspective charges $125,000 per person on a six-hour journey to the stratosphere in a balloon-borne pressurized capsule.

How many toilets are there in the ISS? ›

There are three toilets on the International Space Station, located in the Zvezda , Nauka and Tranquility modules. They use a fan-driven suction system similar to the Space Shuttle WCS. Liquid waste is collected in 20-litre (5.3 US gal) containers.

How many people are on the ISS right now? ›

As of September 12, 2021, 244 individuals have made 403 spaceflights to the ISS, including the seven people currently at the ISS (Expedition 65).

What is the ISS facts for kids? ›

It travels around the Earth at an average speed of 27,700 km/h, completing 16 orbits per day. At night it can easily be seen from Earth, as it flies 320 kilometres above us.

How old is International Space Station? ›

The first piece of the International Space Station was launched in 1998. A Russian rocket launched that piece. After that, more pieces were added. Two years later, the station was ready for people.

How often do they shower on the ISS? ›

On the ISS, astronauts do not shower but rather use liquid soap, water, and rinseless shampoo. They squeeze liquid soap and water from pouches onto their skin.

What do astronauts drink to help them pee in zero gravity? ›

Astronauts took a swig of recycled urine water to toast their successful testing of the wastewater recycling system on the International Space Station.

Who has lived on the ISS the longest? ›

The absolute record for a single spaceflight is 437 days 17 hours 58 minutes, set by Valeriy Poliyakov (RUS) between 8 January 1994 and 22 March 1995.

How many times does the ISS go around the Earth in a day? ›

With each orbit taking 90-93 minutes, there are approximately 16 orbits per day (24 hours). The exact number of orbits per day is usually less than 16 (generally 15.5 to 15.9 orbits/day) depending on the altitude of the ISS.

Does the ISS have a lifespan? ›

The United States, Japan, Canada, and the participating countries of ESA (European Space Agency) have confirmed they will support continued space station operations through 2030 and Russia has confirmed it will support continued station operations through 2028.

What is daily life like on the ISS? ›

Working in outer space for six months has its challenges. Microgravity means that crew members have many obstacles to their regular routines, such as eating, sleeping and hanging out. The space station has no refrigeration, meaning all food has to be stored carefully and is often vacuum-packed.

What happens if the ISS falls? ›

Whatever parts of the ISS survive crashing into the ocean will sink to the bottom and join the other 263 pieces of space debris that have crashed into that region in the Pacific Ocean since 1971. NASA has no plans to retrieve the remains of the ISS.

Are there people living in space? ›

The International Space Station is designed to always be crewed by cosmonauts and astronauts. For this reason, women and men have been living and working in space constantly since the first Expedition mission in the year 2000.

What holds the space station in place? ›

The ISS moves in a circle around Earth at just the right speed. The centrifugal force pushing it away is exactly the same as the force of gravity pulling it in. This balance is called a stable orbit. And unless something happens to change it, it will continue.

How much does the ISS cost? ›

NASA currently spends about $3.1 billion a year on the space station program, with more than $1.3 billion going to operations of the station and research performed there, and nearly $1.8 billion on crew and cargo transportation.

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