Everything You Need to Know
The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station in low Earth orbit. It is a modular structure whose first component was launched in 1998. Since then it has been routinely visited by cargo and human spacecraft, who supplied and constructed it. 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. The station is uniquely suited for the testing of the spacecraft systems and equipment required for possible missions to the Moon and Mars. Like many artificial satellites, the ISS can be seen from Earth with the naked eye. The ISS is operated by Expedition crews, and has been continuously staffed since 2 November 2000—an uninterrupted human presence in space for the past 11 years and 44 days. As of November 2011, the crew of Expedition 29 is aboard. The station is expected to remain in operation until at least 2020, and potentially to 2028. Some parts of the ISS are expected to be integrated into the planned Russian OPSEK facility before the remainder is deorbited.
The ISS is a synthesis of four space station projects, the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the American Freedom, the Japanese Kibo laboratory, and the European Columbus. Budget constraints led to the merger of these projects into a single multi-national programme. Like Mir, it consists of pressurised modules, external trusses, solar arrays and other components which have been launched by Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, and the American Space Shuttles. The station is maintained in orbit between 278 km (173 mi) and 460 km (286 mi) altitude, and travels at an average ground speed of 27,724 kilometres per hour (17,227 mph), completing 15.7 orbits per day.
The ISS is a joint project between five participating space agencies, the American NASA, the Russian RKA, the Japanese JAXA, the European ESA, and the Canadian CSA. The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements. The station is serviced by Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, the Automated Transfer Vehicle and the H-II Transfer Vehicle, and has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.
Sources: http://www.nasa.gov ¦ http://google.com/images
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