The International Space Station on 23 May 2010 as seen from the departing Space Shuttle Atlantis during STS-132.
Station statistics
COSPAR ID | 1998-067A
SATCAT № | 25544
Call sign | Alpha, Station
Crew | Fully crewed: 6
Currently aboard: 6
(Expedition 50)
Launch | 20 November 1998
Launch pad | Baikonur 1/5 and 81/23Kennedy LC-39
Mass | ≈ 419,455 kg (924,740 lb)^[1]
Length | 72.8 m (239 ft)
Width | 108.5 m (356 ft)
Height | ≈ 20 m (66 ft)
nadir–zenith, arrays forward–aft
(27 November 2009)^{[needs update]}
Pressurised volume | 931.57 m³ (32,898 cu ft)^[2]
(28 May 2016)
Atmospheric pressure | 101.3 kPa (29.9 inHg; 1.0 atm)
Perigee | 400.2 km (248.7 mi) AMSL^[3]
Apogee | 409.5 km (254.5 mi) AMSL^[3]
Orbital inclination | 51.64 degrees^[3]
Orbital speed | 7.67 km/s (27,600 km/h; 17,200 mph)^[3]
Orbital period | 92.65 minutes^[3]
Orbits per day | 15.54
Orbit epoch | 30 September 2016, 18:10:52 UTC^[3]
Days in orbit | 18 years, 3 months, 21 days
(13 March)
Days occupied | 16 years, 4 months, 11 days
(13 March)
No. of orbits | 101,081 as of July 2016^[4]
Orbital decay | 2 km/month
Statistics as of 9 March 2011
(unless noted otherwise)
References: ^{[1][3][5][6][7][8]}
Configuration

Station elements as of August 2016
(exploded view)

The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low Earth orbit. Its first component launched into orbit in 1998, and the ISS is now the largest artificial body in orbit and can often be seen with the naked eye from Earth.^[9][10] The ISS consists of pressurised modules, external trusses, solar arrays, and other components. ISS components have been launched by Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, and American Space Shuttles.^[11]

The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew members conduct experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology, and other fields.^[12][13][14] The station is suited for the testing of spacecraft systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon and Mars.^[15] The ISS maintains an orbit with an altitude of between 330 and 435 km (205 and 270 mi) by means of reboost manoeuvres using the engines of the Zvezda module or visiting spacecraft. It completes 15.54 orbits per day.^[16]

The ISS is the ninth space station to be inhabited by crews, following the Soviet and later Russian Salyut, Almaz, and Mir stations as well as Skylab from the US. The station has been continuously occupied for 16 years and 131 days since the arrival of Expedition 1 on 2 November 2000. This is the longest continuous human presence in low Earth orbit, having surpassed the previous record of 9 years and 357 days held by Mir. The station is serviced by a variety of visiting spacecraft: the Russian Soyuz and Progress, the American Dragon and Cygnus, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle,^[17]and formerly the Space Shuttle and the European Automated Transfer Vehicle. It has been visited by astronauts, cosmonauts and space tourists from 17 different nations.^[18]

After the US Space Shuttle programme ended in 2011, Soyuz rockets became the only provider of transport for astronauts at the International Space Station, and Dragon became the only provider of bulk cargo return to Earth services (downmass capability of Soyuz capsules is very limited).

The ISS programme is a joint project among five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA.^[17][19] The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.^[20] The station is divided into two sections, the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS) and the United States Orbital Segment (USOS), which is shared by many nations. As of January 2014, the American portion of ISS is being funded until 2024.^[21][22][23] Roscosmos has endorsed the continued operation of ISS through 2024^[24] but has proposed using elements of the Russian Orbital Segment to construct a new Russian space station called OPSEK.^[25]

On 28 March 2015, Russian sources announced that Roscosmos and NASA had agreed to collaborate on the development of a replacement for the current ISS.^[26][27] NASA later issued a guarded statement expressing thanks for Russia's interest in future co-operation in space exploration but fell short of confirming the Russian announcement.^[28][29]

Purpose

Assembly

It serves as a home where crews of astronauts and cosmonauts live. Members of the ISS live there for about 6 months

The space station is also a science lab. Many countries worked together to build it. They also work together to use it.

 The space station is made of many pieces. The pieces were put together in space by astronauts. The space station's orbit is about 220 miles above Earth. NASA uses the station to learn about living and working in space. These lessons will help NASA explore space.

How Old Is the 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. The first crew arrived on November 2, 2000. People have lived on the space station ever since. Over time more pieces have been added. NASA and its partners around the world finished the space station in 2011.
 

How Big Is the Space Station?
The space station is as big inside as a house with five bedrooms. It has two bathrooms, a gymnasium and a big bay window. Six people are able to live there. It weighs almost a million pounds. It is big enough to cover a football field including the end zones. It has science labs from the United States, Russia, Japan and Europe.

What Are the Parts of the Space Station?
The space station has many parts. The parts are called modules. The first modules had parts needed to make the space station work. Astronauts also lived in those modules. Modules called "nodes" connect parts of the station to each other. Labs on the space station let astronauts do research.

On the sides of the space station are solar arrays. These arrays collect energy from the sun. They turn sunlight into electricity. Robot arms are attached outside. The robot arms helped to build the space station. They also can move astronauts around outside and control science experiments.

 Airlocks on the space station are like doors. Astronauts use them to go outside on spacewalks.

 Docking ports are like doors, too. The ports allow visiting spacecraft to connect to the space station. New crews and visitors enter the station through the docking ports. Astronauts fly to the space station on the Russian Soyuz. The crew members use the ports to move supplies onto the station.

Why Is the Space Station Important?
The space station is a home in orbit. People have lived in space every day since the year 2000. The space station's labs are where crew members do research. This research could not be done on Earth.

Scientists study what happens to people when they live in space. NASA has learned how to keep a spacecraft working for a long time. These lessons will be important in the future.

NASA has a plan to send humans deeper into space than ever before. The space station is one of the first steps. NASA will use lessons from the space station to get astronauts ready for the journey ahead.