The International Space Station

As the name suggests, the International Space Station, or ISS as it is commonly known, is an international collaboration that aims to create a connected network of laboratories, living quarters, docking compartments and more in space. When completed in approximately 2010, the ISS will comprise more than 100 major components.
 
 
Though led by the United States, the International Space Station is the joint effort of the following, as well as 11 nations of the European Space Agency:
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Japan
  • Russia.
Each country contributes scientific and technological resources to the project.
 
The purpose of the International Space Station is two-fold. The mission of the International Spaced Station is:
  • to create a research laboratory in space

  • to perform research to support human space exploration.
It is hoped that the space station will be able to provide valuable research in a number of areas, including medicine.

History of the International Space Station

Though Hermann Oberth first used the term "space station" in 1923, and Dr. Werner von Braun published his concept for a space station in 1952, it wasn't until 1971 that the Soviet Union launched Salyut 1, the world's first space station. In 1973, the United States launched Skylab. Though Skylab hosted three crews, it was abandoned in 1974.
 
On Nov. 20, 1998, the first two modules of the ISS were launched into orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakstan. The first crew arrived in 2000. Since then, a number of missions carrying a number of modules have arrived at the ISS and several crews have manned the station.
 
When it is completed, it is expected that an international crew of up to seven will live and work in the station for a period of up to six months.
 
International Space Station Fact
Many people want to know how many flights have visited the ISS. As of June 2006, 55 ISS shuttle missions had been completed. Of these flights, 37 were Russian flights and 18 were U.S. shuttle flights. It is estimated that it will require 80 space flights to assemble the ISS.

International Space Station Orbital Path

The International Space Station orbits Earth at an altitude between approximately 173 miles and 285 miles. It completes 15.77 orbits of Earth each day.
 
Often, you can see ISS without any special equipment on a clear night. Its large solar wings make it fairly easy for you to see it as it moves across the nighttime sky.
 
To find out when the ISS will be over your city or town, you can consult an international space station orbital path map. On its Web site, NASA also provides information on when ISS will be over specific cities.
 
If you're a fan of astronomy and are interested in the space station, why not start an ISS fan club? Find out when ISS will be making an appearance in your skies and host a meeting!
 
Resources
 
Boeing (n.d.). The International Space Station (ISS). Retrieved January 17, 2008, from the Boeing Web site: http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation.
 
NASA (updated November 23, 2007). International Space Station: Reference Guide to the International Space Station. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from the NASA Web site: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/
ISS_Reference_Guide.html.