International Space Station

The International Space Station is a $100 billion research outpost in low-Earth orbit. It was built by 15 different countries and overseen by 5 space agencies, among them NASA, Russia's Roscosmos agency, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Construction began in 1998 and rotating astronaut crews have lived on the ISS continuously since 2000. Today, the ISS is the largest human-built structure in space. See the latest news, photos and videos from ISS missions here.

Related Topics: Falcon Heavy, Incredible Space Tech, NASA, SpaceX, Interstellar Travel

Latest Updates

An enormous solar prominence on the surface of the sun.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff published

A U.S. astrophotographer captured this awe-inspiring image of a giant loop of plasma arching above the sun's surface.

three astronauts in the middle of a module absolutely stuffed with equipment, spacesuits and electronics

NASA reaches 'full utilization' of the International Space Station: report

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA reached "full utilization" of crew time and cargo space on its side of the International Space Station. But there are options coming soon to increase available room, the agency says.

four astronauts inside of a launch tower tunnel with views of the ocean behind them

SpaceX Crew-6 astronauts gear up for Feb. 26 launch to space station

By Elizabeth Howell published

Crew-6 will head to the International Space Station after its Feb. 26 launch, but three of its four crewmembers are preparing for the next generation of missions to the moon.

Cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky shared this photo of the International Space Station on Twitter on Sept. 29, 2021. He and two colleagues were relocating a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from one port to another at the time.

International Space Station: Live updates

By Elizabeth Howell published

Find out what's going on at the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann (at left) and Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) perform a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.

With a 'wiggle and nudge,' spacewalking astronauts install stubborn array mount outside space station

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Two spacewalking astronauts wiggled a stubborn strut into place, completing the installation of a solar array platform outside the International Space Station.

Astronauts perform a spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

Watch 2 astronauts perform 2nd spacewalk of 2023 today

By Mike Wall published

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann and Japan's Koichi Wakata are scheduled to make the second spacewalk of 2023 on Thursday morning (Feb. 2), and you can watch it live.

still from a black-and-white video showing a prototype space module exploding and pieces flying

Kapow! Inflatable space station module blows to pieces in video explosion

By Elizabeth Howell published

Sierra Space successfully finished its third module test for the Blue Origin-led Orbital Reef private space complex for NASA, on the long road to replace the International Space Station.

seven astronauts in flight suits posing for a portrait

20 years after Columbia shuttle tragedy, NASA pledges 'acute awareness' of astronaut safety

By Elizabeth Howell published

Seven astronauts lost their lives on space shuttle Columbia on Feb. 1, 2003, due to a series of technical and organizational problems at NASA.

Former NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley are seen after being awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by Vice President Kamala Harris during a ceremony in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023 in Washington, DC.

SpaceX crewmates Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken awarded Space Medal of Honor

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Former NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have been presented with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. honor reserved for spaceflight veterans.

NASA astronauts Scott Kelly (right) and Kjell Lindgren (center) with Kimiya Yui of JAXA snack on freshly harvested space-grown red romaine lettuce as part of the Veggie experiment.

Space diet rich in veggies and fish could boost astronaut health

By Charles Q. Choi published

An enhanced in-space diet augmented with fruits, vegetables and fish could help boost astronaut health and performance, a new study finds.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft docked at the International Space Station with black space behind.

SpaceX Crew Dragon may get a shield upgrade after Soyuz spacecraft leak

By Elizabeth Howell published

A micrometeoroid strike on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in December 2022 has spurred NASA to talk to SpaceX about possibly increasing the shielding on its Crew Dragon capsule.

The Russian-built Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft is seen in the foreground docked to the Rassvet module of the International Space Station in this image taken in October. 2022. Russia's Nauka laboratory module of the station is seen in the background, with its European Robotic Arm folded up.

NASA astronaut and 2 cosmonauts may stay on space station for a full year after Soyuz leak

By Mike Wall published

Frank Rubio and two cosmonaut colleagues may not come home from the International Space Station until late September — six months later than initially planned.

A SpaceX Dragon Endurance capsule in the black of space with a blue Earth below after launch on Oct. 5, 2022.

SpaceX astronaut missions for NASA: Crew-5 updates

By Elizabeth Howell published

Read the latest news about SpaceX's Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station for NASA.

Astronauts Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (at left) and Nicole Mann of NASA are seen near the new roll-out solar array mount they partially assembled during a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023.

Spacewalking astronauts hit snags installing new solar array mount outside space station

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Koichi Wakata and Nicole Mann wrapped up their spacewalk without completing assembly of a new roll-out solar array mounting platform as planned.

The four crewmembers of SpaceX's Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station pose for a photo in their spacesuits during a training session at the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California. From left are, Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Commander Stephen Bowen, and Mission Specialist Sultan Al Neyadi.mission pose for a photo in their spacesuits during a training session at the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California. From left: mission specialist Andrey Fedyaev, pilot Warren "Woody" Hoburg, commander Stephen Bowen, and mission specialist Sultan Al Neyadi.

SpaceX and NASA targeting Feb. 26 for Crew-6 astronaut launch

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX's sixth contracted astronaut flight to the International Space Station for NASA will launch on Feb. 26, if all goes according to plan.

NASA astronaut Josh Cassada during a spacewalk.

Watch 2 astronauts perform 1st spacewalk of 2023 at space station today

By Mike Wall published

Two astronauts will conduct the first spacewalk of 2023 on Friday morning (Jan. 20), and you can watch the action live.

A high-definition camera on the International Space Station's exterior captured this photo of the plume created by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket as it launched the USSF-67 mission for the U.S. Space Force on Jan. 15, 2023.

SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch spotted from space station (photo)

By Mike Wall published

A high-definition exterior camera on the International Space Station snapped a shot of the plume created by SpaceX's Falcon Heavy during its Jan. 15 launch.

The Crew-5 SpaceX Dragon Endurance approaches the International Space Station for docking on Oct. 6, 2022.

SpaceX Dragon capsule to be 5-person 'lifeboat' in event of ISS emergency

By Mike Wall published

On Wednesday (Jan. 18), NASA plans to start moving astronaut Frank Rubio's seat liner from a Russian Soyuz spacecraft over to SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule Endurance.

SpaceX's robotic Dragon cargo capsule leaves the International Space Station on Jan. 9, 2023. The spacecraft splashed down off the coast of Florida two days later.

SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule returns to Earth after 6-week stay at space station

By Mike Wall published

A robotic SpaceX capsule splashed down off the coast of Florida on Wednesday morning (Jan. 11), wrapping up its six-week cargo mission.

A camera on the International Space Station shows an apparent coolant leak on a Soyuz MS-22 crewed spacecraft docked at the station that forced Russian Mission Control to cancel a spacewalk by two cosmonauts on Dec. 14, 2022. The coolant leak appears as frozen white mist around the spacecraft.

Russia to launch new Soyuz capsule to replace leaky spacecraft on space station

By Tariq Malik last updated

Russia will launch an empty Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station February to replace a damaged spacecraft that is unsafe to return its crew.