International Space Station Explained: What It Is & Why It Matters

International Space Station: πŸ“ˆ Growing Interest (51/100) | RankUpTrends

International Space Station

This analysis was updated on July 25, 2025 to incorporate the latest information and developments.

Current Trend Status: πŸ“ˆ Growing Interest (51/100)

Introduction & Background

International Space Station is gaining traction in news and social media. This article provides a thorough look at why it’s trending and what you need to know.

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.

Key Analysis & Context

Purpose

The ISS was originally intended to be a laboratory, observatory, and factory while providing transportation, maintenance, and a low Earth orbit staging base for possible future missions to the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. However, not all of the uses envisioned in the initial memorandum of understanding between NASA and Roscosmos have been realised.

International co-operation

Involving five space programs and fifteen countries, the International Space Station is the most politically and legally complex space exploration programme in history. The 1998 Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement sets forth the primary framework for international cooperation among the parties.

Structure

The ISS functions as a modular space station, enabling the addition or removal of modules from its structure for increased adaptability. Below is a diagram of major station components. The Unity node joins directly to the Destiny laboratory; for clarity, they are shown apart. Similar cases are also seen in other parts of the structure.

End of mission

Originally the ISS was planned to be a 15-year mission. Therefore, an end of mission had been worked on, but was several times postponed due to the success and support for the operation of the station. As a result, the oldest modules of the ISS have been in orbit for more than 20 years, with their reliability having decreased.

Cost

The ISS has been described as the most expensive single item ever constructed. As of 2010, the total cost was US$150 billion. This includes NASA's budget of $58.7 billion ($89.73 billion in 2021 dollars) for the station from 1985 to 2015, Russia's $12 billion, Europe's $5 billion, Japan's $5 billion, Canada's $2 billion, and the cost of 36 shuttle flights to build the station, estimated at $1.

In culture

The ISS has become an international symbol of human capabilities, particularly human cooperation and science, defining a cooperative international approach and period, instead of a looming commercialized and militarized interplanetary world.

See also

A Beautiful Planet (2016) – IMAX documentary film showing scenes of Earth, as well as astronaut life aboard the ISS Center for the Advancement of Science in Space – operates the US National Laboratory on the ISS List of accidents and incidents involving the International Space Station List of commanders of the International Space Station List of human spaceflights to the International Space Statio.

Further reading

Reference Guide to the International Space Station (PDF) (Utilization ed.). NASA. September 2015. NP-2015-05-022-JSC. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2018. Reference Guide to the International Space Station (PDF) (Assembly Complete ed.). NASA. 2010. ISBN 978-0-16-086517-6. NP-2010-09-682-HQ. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 May 2021.

External links

Official website ISS Location Archived 14 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine

πŸ“° Latest Developments & News Updates

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This recent development highlights the ongoing relevance of International Space Station in current events and demonstrates why this subject continues to capture public attention.

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