International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is a large space station that was assembled and is maintained in low Earth orbit by a collaboration of five space agencies and their contractors: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada). As the largest space station ever constructed, it primarily serves as a platform for conducting scientific experiments in microgravity and studying the space environment.

The station is divided into two main sections: the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS), developed by Roscosmos, and the US Orbital Segment (USOS), built by NASA, ESA, JAXA, and CSA. A striking feature of the ISS is the Integrated Truss Structure, which connect the station’s vast system of solar panels and radiators to its pressurized modules. These modules support diverse functions, including scientific research, crew habitation, storage, spacecraft control, and airlock operations. The ISS has eight docking and berthing ports for visiting spacecraft. The station orbits the Earth at an average altitude of 400 kilometres (250 miles) and circles the Earth in roughly 93 minutes, completing 15.5 orbits per day.

The ISS programme combines two previously planned crewed Earth-orbiting stations: the United States' Space Station Freedom and the Soviet Union's Mir-2. The first ISS module was launched in 1998, with major components delivered by Proton and Soyuz rockets and the Space Shuttle. Long-term occupancy began on 2 November 2000, with the arrival of the Expedition 1 crew. Since then, the ISS has remained continuously inhabited for 24 years and 229 days, the longest continuous human presence in space. By March 2024, 279 individuals from 22 countries had visited the station.

Future plans for the ISS include the addition of at least one module, Axiom Space's Payload Power Thermal Module. The station is expected to remain operational until the end of 2030, after which it will be de-orbited using a dedicated NASA spacecraft.