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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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A Boeing Starliner spacecraft is prepared for a planned December 2019 test flight to the International Space Station for NASA.

Boeing Aims to Launch Unpiloted Starliner Test Flight to Space Station in December

By Hanneke Weitering

Boeing has set a new launch date for the first orbital flight of its new commercial crew vehicle that will soon begin ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

ICON, depicted in this artist’s concept, will study the ionosphere from a height of about 350 miles to understand how the combined effects of terrestrial weather and space weather influence this ionized layer of particles.

Top Space Stories of the Week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia

These are the top space stories this week from Space.com.

NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Christina Koch spent more than 6.5 hours replacing solar array batteries on the International Space Station during a spacewalk on Oct. 11, 2019, the day cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, the first spacewalker in history, died.

Astronauts Mourn Alexei Leonov, the World's 1st Spacewalker, While On a Spacewalk of Their Own

By Tariq Malik

Alexei Leonov, the world's first spacewalker, died in a Moscow hospital Friday (Oct. 11), but his legacy lives on aboard the International Space Station where the crew performed a spacewalk today.

This photo from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the spiral galaxy NGC 3717, a dusty swirl of stars about 60 million light-years away.

Pictures from Space! Our Image of the Day

By Space.com Staff

This photo from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the spiral galaxy NGC 3717, a dusty swirl of stars about 60 million light-years away.

An example of Aleph Farms' cultivated beef steaks, made on Earth.

Meat Grown in Space for the First Time Ever

By Chelsea Gohd

For the first time ever, meat was created in space — but no animals were harmed in the making of this 3D bioprinted "space beef."

European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano shared this image on Twitter on Sept. 23, 2019, with the caption, "Our world burned alive. Together with our future. #AmazonFires."

No Place Like Home: Astronaut Luca Parmitano Reminds Us How 'Precious' Earth Is

By Samantha Mathewson

Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano sent the United Nations an important message about climate change and the need to protect the future of our planet, in a new video from the space station.

Expedition 61 commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (ESA) floats alongside a Playmobil toy figure created in his likeness on board the International Space Station.

Astronaut Reveals First Playmobil Figures in Space — And They Look Like Him

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Playmobil's astronaut is just adorable.

In a view from her helmet camera, NASA astronaut Christina Koch holds one of the batteries that she and astronaut Andrew Morgan worked to replace during a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019.

Astronauts Complete First Spacewalk in Series to Upgrade Station Batteries

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Two NASA astronauts worked to replace batteries outside of the International Space Station, completing the first in a series of spacewalks to upgrade the orbiting lab’s power system.

Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques prepared a spacesuit during his stay on the International Space Station.

Watch Live: NASA Begins Spacewalk Series Today to Replace Aging Batteries

By Elizabeth Howell

NASA's about to kick off the Super Bowl of spacewalks — that would be 10 extravehicular activities in just a couple of months — with the first outing today (Oct. 6).

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch are both scheduled to conduct spacewalks during a series of five maneuvers in October 2019.

All-Female Spacewalk Back on After NASA Sends Up 2nd Medium Spacesuit

By Meghan Bartels

More than six months after canceling what would have been the first spacewalk conducted by a team of two all women, NASA has rescheduled the historic moment for Oct. 21.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (left) and Christina Koch are scheduled to take a spacewalk together on Oct. 21, 2019.

The 1st All-Female Spacewalk Is Back on As NASA Gears Up for 10-EVA Marathon

By Hanneke Weitering

NASA is gearing up for a marathon of spacewalks, and one of them could be the first spacewalk to be conducted entirely by women.

The Russian Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft carrying astronauts Nick Hague of NASA, Aleksey Ovchinn of Roscosmos and Hazzaa Ali AlMansoori of UAE approaches a landing from the International Space Station on the steppe of Kazakhstan on Oct. 3, 2019.

First Emirati Astronaut Returns to Earth with Russian-US Space Station Crew

By Robert Z. Pearlman

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft returned to Earth Thursday (Oct. 3) carrying the first UAE astronaut and two members of the International Space Station's crew.

On Aug. 18, 2019, NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Nick Hague took a spacewalk outside the International Space Station to add a new docking adapter for future space taxis.

In Photos: The Spacewalking Astronauts of Expedition 60

By Christine Lunsford

United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, clad in traditional garb, poses for a crew photo aboard the International Space Station with his crewmates on Oct. 1, 2019.

The 1st Emirati Astronaut Has Had a Blast in Space, But It's Time to Come Home

By Doris Elin Urrutia

UAE astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori is spending 8 days in space.

The International Space Station's nine-person crew of Expedition 60 poses in "space band" shirts in this photo shared by European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano (upside down) on Sept. 30, 2019. The shirts say "Kryk Chayky" (Cry of the Seagull in Russian).

Crowded Space Station: There Are 9 People from 4 Different Space Agencies in Orbit Right Now

By Doris Elin Urrutia

It's a bit crowded at the International Space Station right now.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled this new rendering of the company's Big Falcon Rocket spacecraft ahead of the announcement Sept. 17, 2018 of the first passenger to fly a trip around the moon.

Starship and Super Heavy: SpaceX's Mars-Colonizing Vehicles in Images

By Space.com Staff

Elon Musk founded SpaceX primarily to help humanity settle Mars, and here's a look at how he plans to do it — a giant rocket called Super Heavy and a 100-passenger vehicle called Starship.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's HTV-8 cargo ship is captured by a robotic arm at the International Space Station on Sept. 28, 2019 to deliver more than 4 tons of supplies to the orbiting laboratory.

Unpiloted Japanese Cargo Ship Delivers Fresh Batteries and More to Space Station

By Tariq Malik

A Japanese cargo ship successfully reached to the International Space Station Saturday (Sept. 28) carrying 4 tons of supplies, including new batteries for the outpost's solar power grid.

Six new United Arab Emirates postage stamps commemorate the flight of the first Emirati astronaut in 2019.

UAE Issues Postage Stamps Honoring First Emirati Astronaut in Space

By Robert Z. Pearlman

The United Arab Emirates has released postage stamps commemorating its first astronaut's flight into space, 55 years after doing the same to honor international space travelers.

uae astronaut hazzaa ali almansoori

Hazzaa Ali Almansoori: The 1st Emirati Astronaut's Space Station Mission in Photos

By Christine Lunsford

Hazzaa Ali Almansoori is the first astronaut of the United Arab Emirates. He launched on his first space mission on Sept. 25, 2019. See photos of Almansoori's mission in this Space.com gallery.

An image taken from the International Space Station of a crewed Soyuz capsule launching to visit the facility on Sept. 25, 2019.

This Astronaut Photo of Her Friend's Launch Into Space Is Absolutely Stunning!

By Meghan Bartels

The best view of today's crew launch turned out to be from the spacecraft's destination itself, the International Space Station.