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

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From left to right: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, NASA’s Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, and cosmonaut Anna Kikina wave on Oct. 1, 2022, after arriving at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center ahead of SpaceX’s Crew-5 mission launch.

SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts arrive at launch site for Oct. 5 liftoff

By Mike Wall published

The crewmembers of SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA made it to Kennedy Space Center in Florida Saturday (Oct. 1), a few days later than originally planned due to Hurricane Ian.

NASA's Jupiter-exploring spacecraft Juno made a close pass at the giant planet's ice-covered moon Europa on Sept. 29. 2022.

Space photos: The most amazing images this week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

An astrophotographer takes an epic composite image of Jupiter, NASA slams a spacecraft into an asteroid, and Hurricane Ian is monitored from space. These are some of this week's top stories.

NASA's Jupiter-exploring spacecraft Juno made a close pass at the giant planet's ice-covered moon Europa on Sept. 29. 2022.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff published

NASA's Jupiter explorer Juno has made a close flyby of the giant planet's ice-covered moon Europa, providing the most detailed views of this strange world in more than twenty years.

eye of Hurricane Ian from space station

Astronaut looks inside eye of Hurricane Ian from space as storm weakens over Florida (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

An International Space Station astronaut photographed Hurricane Ian as the powerful storm battered Florida. NASA, SpaceX and others have postponed launches from the Space Coast.

Soyuz MS-21 crewmates Sergey Korsakov, Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev rest in chairs after landing from the International Space Station on the steppe of Kazakhstan, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022.

3 Russian cosmonauts land on Soyuz MS-21 capsule after 195 days on space station

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Three cosmonauts returned from the International Space Station, landing in Kazakhstan after six months in orbit. Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov touched down on Soyuz MS-21.

The official crew portrait for SpaceX's Crew-5 mission. From left are Anna Kikina, mission specialist; Josh Cassada, pilot; Nicole Mann, spacecraft commander; and Koichi Wakata, mission specialist.

Hurricane Ian delays SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut launch again, to Oct. 5

By Mike Wall published

Hurricane Ian has pushed SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA back by at least another day.

three cosmonauts in white spacesuits sitting down in front of russian flag

You can watch 3 Russian cosmonauts return to Earth from International Space Station today

By Elizabeth Howell published

Expedition 67 cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov will come back to Earth on Thursday (Sept. 29), and you can watch the undocking and landing live.

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.

hurricane ian view from space station with solar arrays and station hardware in frame

'Extremely dangerous' Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida as NASA watches from space (video)

By Tariq Malik published

Hurricane Ian made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a dangerous Category 4 storm, which NASA watched live from orbit as it reached the U.S. mainland.

A multispectral satellite images of an artillery battalion actively firing in a southeasterly direction on March 11, 2022 as seen by the WorldView-2 satellite for Maxar Technologies.

Ukraine invasion's impacts on space exploration: Live updates

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Russia-Ukraine war has already stretched into space, with satellites providing internet and intel and longstanding international relations in outer space shifting rapidly.

SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts wearing white and gray spacesuits

SpaceX astronaut missions for NASA: Crew-5 live updates

By Space.com Staff published

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

group of astronauts and cosmonauts assembled in the international space station. samantha cristoforetti is in the front holding a mic

European woman takes command of International Space Station for 1st time

By Elizabeth Howell published

A Russian cosmonaut made a hopeful reference to the end of war while handing command of the ISS to Samantha Cristoforetti, the first European woman in charge of the orbiting lab.

nicole mann astronaut stretching out hands at the entrance of a spacecraft

SpaceX's Crew-5 mission will carry Native American woman to orbit for 1st time

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann will head to the space station aboard SpaceX's Crew-5 mission for NASA, which is slated to lift off on Oct. 4.

The Dragon capsule Endurance, which will fly SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA, arrives at the hangar at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A in Florida on Sept. 23, 2022. Endurance arrived at the launch complex after making the short journey from its nearby processing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Hurricane Ian delays SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut launch to Oct. 4

By Mike Wall published

Hurricane Ian has pushed the launch of SpaceX's next astronaut mission for NASA back by at least a day.

Hurricane Ian, as seen from the International Space Station on Sept. 26, 2022.

See Hurricane Ian churn in video from International Space Station

By Mike Wall published

Cameras aboard the International Space Station are providing a birds-eye view of Hurricane Ian as it churns northward toward Florida.

SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts are suited up and ready to participate in a crew equipment interface test (CEIT) at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, on Aug. 13, 2022.

SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut mission on course for Oct. 3 liftoff, weather permitting

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA remains on target to launch next week, provided Mother Nature cooperates.

canadarm2 robotic arm in front of spacex spacecraft on international space station

Canada eyes new astronaut flights with Axiom Space

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Canadian Space Agency is expanding its spaceflight options through an agreement with Axiom Space, which has already organized a crewed mission with SpaceX.

European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti posted on Twitter this photo of the Soyuz astronaut launch on Sept. 21, 2022, taken from the International Space Station.

Soyuz rocket launch spotted from space station in amazing astronaut photos

By Mike Wall published

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station saw a Russian Soyuz rocket launch their newest set of crewmates into orbit today (Sept. 21).

four astronauts in white spacesuits giving thumbs up to camera

NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts ready for historic mission

By Elizabeth Howell published

SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA will bring a Russian and the first Native American woman in space to the International Space Station no earlier than Oct. 3.

Russia's Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket, lifts off for the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.

Russia launches NASA astronaut to space station under new 'crew swap' agreement

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A U.S. astronaut has lifted off for the International Space Station, flying in a seat on a Soyuz spacecraft that was reserved through the first "crew swap" agreement since the space shuttle program.