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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 Russian Soyuz rocket launches a robotic Progress cargo spacecraft toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Dec. 6, 2019.

Russian Cargo Craft Launches Toward Space Station

By Mike Wall

The liftoff came less than 24 hours after SpaceX's Dragon freighter began its own journey to the station.

The CIMON 2 (Crew Interactive MObile companioN) robot is a new robotic companion for astronauts on the International Space Station.

New, Emotionally Intelligent Robot CIMON 2 Heads to Space Station

By Mike Wall

The little droid can assess astronauts' emotional states.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches a used Dragon cargo ship on its third NASA cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40 of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Dec. 5, 2019.

SpaceX Launches Dragon Cargo Ship to Space Station for NASA, Sticks Rocket Landing

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX successfully launched an uncrewed Dragon spacecraft for NASA today (Dec. 5) on the company's final cargo mission of the year. They aced a rocket landing, too!

Wildfires have been raging across the southern and eastern states of Australia since October, and new imagery from the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP weather satellite show plumes of smoke billowing from multiple fires near the coast of New South Wales. Another Suomi-NPP image captured in November show smoke from Australia's wildfires being swept across the South Atlantic Ocean, and that smoke has since spread to halfway around the world, NASA officials said in a statement. The satellite acquired this image on Wednesday (Dec. 4) at 2:45 p.m. local time, when there were 116 actively burning bush and grass fires in New South Wales alone.

Pictures from Space! Our Image of the Day

By Space.com Staff

Russia's Soyuz MS-10 descent module, which in 2018 executed an in-flight abort, is now on display as a monument to mission safety at Roscosmos' headquarters in Moscow, Russia.

Soyuz Space Capsule That Flew Emergency Abort Lands on Display in Moscow

By Robert Z. Pearlman

A Russian space capsule that carried its crew to a landing after the rocket it was atop broke apart mid-flight has touched down in Moscow as a monument to mission safety.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a used Dragon cargo ship filled with NASA supplies for the International Space Station atop its Cape Canaveral Air Force Station launch site in Florida ahead of a Dec. 4, 2019 launch.

SpaceX Delays Dragon Cargo Launch for NASA Due to High Winds

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX postponed the launch of a Dragon cargo ship filled with NASA supplies Wednesday (Dec. 4) due to high winds in the upper atmosphere, as well as at sea.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the CRS-18 mission to the International Space Station at 6:01 p.m. EDT on July 25, 2019.

SpaceX to Launch Beer Experiment, 'Mighty Mice' and More for NASA Today. How to Watch

By Chelsea Gohd

SpaceX is about to launch beer, "mighty mice" and much, much more to the International Space Station.

Boeing plans to launch its first Starliner spacecraft on Dec. 19, 2019 on a test flight to the International Space Station.

Boeing's 1st Starliner Spacecraft Test Launch Delayed to Dec. 19

By Tariq Malik

Boeing has pushed back the launch debut of its Starliner spacecraft to Dec. 19, a two-day delay, due to a glitch with the spacecraft's Atlas V rocket.

Oleg Kotov conducting a spacewalk on Aug. 22, 2013.

It's 10 p.m., Do You Know What Your Astronauts Are Doing?

By Meghan Bartels

How do you feel about helicopter parenting? The result may determine whether you would be a better fit with NASA's astronaut program or its Russian counterpart.

Kat Coderre, the principal investigator for Lockheed Martin’s Stemrad vest, wears the radiation-blocking vest inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Orion will carry two dummies on the Artemis I mission, and the dummies will test out the new vest.

'Phantom' Vest-Wearing Dummies to Fly Around the Moon

By Elizabeth Howell

"Phantom women" dummies will make a trip around the moon in 2020 or so on a special mission: to protect all astronauts from radiation.

Astronauts Luca Parmitano (in foreground) and Drew Morgan work outside the International Space Station on Dec. 2, 2019. Parmitano, positioned at the end of the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm, is holding the new pump module for the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) cosmic ray detector.

Spacewalkers Splice in New Pumps to Repair $2B Cosmic Ray Detector

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Astronauts Luca Parmitano and Andrew Morgan transplanted a new coolant pump system outside of the ISS, completing the third in a series of spacewalks to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

This illustration shows our solar system suspended in the "bubble" of protective solar wind known as the heliosphere. Where the sphere ends, harsh cosmic rays butt up against our solar system.

Top Space Stories of the Week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia

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

Expedition 61 crewmates Jessica Meir (left) and Christina Koch of NASA reveal an Astronaut Snoopy doll on the International Space Station during the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Astronaut Snoopy Floats on Space Station, Flies in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Snoopy, "the world famous astronaut," has reached new heights — above the streets of New York City and aboard the International Space Station.

Boeing joined its Starliner spacecraft to a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Nov. 21, 2019.

Watch Boeing's Starliner Meet Its Rocket for the 1st Time in This Awesome Drone Video

By Elizabeth Howell

A drone flying around the Kennedy Space Center recently captured incredible footage of a small step forward for NASA's delayed commercial crew program.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (left), Christina Koch (center) and Andrew Morgan will celebrate a "Friendsgiving" in space for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on the International Space Station this Nov. 28, 2019.

Thanksgiving in Space: For Astronauts, It's a Cosmic Friendsgiving!

By Elizabeth Howell

They may be circling hundreds of miles above the United States, but the three American residents of the International Space Station have a plan to celebrate Thanksgiving.

NASA wants to open the International Space Station up to more commercial activity.

NASA Wants to Book a Seat on a Short Private Mission to the Space Station

By Mike Wall

The orbital jaunt would last just 15 to 30 days.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Christina Koch and Andrew Morgan went through the pouches of food they will prepare for Thanksgiving 2019.

Space Stuffing? Here's What Astronauts Will Eat in Orbit This Thanksgiving

By Chelsea Gohd

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station plan on getting creative with their Thanksgiving meal.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch demonstrate how their hair stands up in the microgravity environment on board the space station, whether they're "upside down" or not.

Watch Neil deGrasse Tyson Talk Hair, Barfing and Vegetarianism with Astronauts in Space

By Chelsea Gohd

Neil deGrasse Tyson talked about hair, barfing and vegetarianism with astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch.

SpaceX's most recent cargo shipment blasted off on July 25, 2019.

SpaceX Will Launch Mighty Mice, Wild Physics and More to Space Station Next Month

By Amy Thompson

The next SpaceX resupply launch to the International Space Station, scheduled for Dec. 4, will bring a host of science material to astronauts living and working on the orbiting laboratory.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the Dragon CRS-18 cargo mission for NASA on July 25, 2019.

SpaceX Test-Fires Falcon 9 Rocket Ahead of Dec. 4 Dragon Launch for NASA

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX has fired up the Falcon 9 rocket that will ferry the company's next cargo resupply mission into space next week.