International Space Station

November 22, 2023

November 20^th, 2023 marked the 25^th anniversary of the launch of the International Space Station (ISS).
It is the largest man-made object in the solar system.
Zarya, the first module, launched on- November 20^th, 1998 from
- Zarya supplied fuel storage and battery power, and served as a docking zone for other space vehicles arriving at the ISS.
The ISS has stood as a testament to the power of international cooperation and has played a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of space, microgravity, and fostering groundbreaking scientific research.
It is a partnership between European countries (represented by ESA), United States (NASA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA) and Russia (Roscosmos).
The ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes at a speed of 8 kilometers (5 miles) per second.
- Thus it travels through 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.
It revolves at an altitude of a mere 430 kilometers (267 miles).
The ISS pressurised interior of 16 modules has a habitable space of 13,696 cubic feet (388 cubic metres), equivalent to a six-bedroom home.
It is supported by a 310-foot-long (94-metre) truss, a massive iron backbone holding solar panels, batteries, and radiators.
According to current plans, the ISS will be abandoned and deorbited after 2030.