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

a space plane lands on a runway

Private Dream Chaser space plane's 1st launch slips to December: report

By Elizabeth Howell published

Sierra Space's Dream Chaser will delay about half a year to December, while its new United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket's upper stage had an anomaly during testing.

Rocket Lab teams have recovered the first state of the company's Electron rocket from the Pacific Ocean to refurbish it for another use.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff published

Teams of the New Zealand-based company Rocket Lab successfully recovered the first stage of the Electron rocket after its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

The Starliner team works to finalize the mate of the crew module and new service module for NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test that will take NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams to and from the International Space Station.

Boeing delays 1st Starliner astronaut mission again, targets July 21 liftoff

By Mike Wall published

The first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner astronaut taxi has been pushed back by several additional months, with liftoff now targeted for July 21 at the earliest.

an astronaut floats in space beside a superimposed graphic of a protein

Microgravity in space can alter human cells. We now know how

By Robert Lea published

Scientists have discovered how cells respond and adapt to exposure to microgravity, the near-weightless conditions experienced in space.

NASA human spaceflight chief Kathy Lueders will retire at the end of April 2023 after 31 years with the agency.

NASA human spaceflight chief Kathy Lueders to retire at end of April

By Josh Dinner published

Kathy Lueders will step down as associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate at the end of April, the agency announced on Monday (March 27).

artist's impression of an astronaut with the moon behind. the astronaut is spacesuited and the reflection of their helmet shows the gloved hands holding a camera, reflected in the helmet visor. far behind is the sun peeking behind the moon, and a half-full earth.

How to watch NASA's Artemis 2 moon crew reveal live online on April 3

By Elizabeth Howell published

On April 3, we'll learn the identities of the three Americans and one Canadian who will fly around the moon on the Artemis 2 mission, and you can watch the big reveal 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.

The Russian Soyuz MS-22 space capsule descends under its main parachute as it lands on the steppes of Kazakhstan on March 28, 2023.

Leaky Soyuz spacecraft at space station returns to Earth in speedy landing

By Tariq Malik last updated

A Soyuz space capsule that suffered a major coolant leak in December departed the International Space Station without a crew early Tuesday (March 28)

artist's impression of an astronaut with the moon behind. the astronaut is spacesuited and the reflection of their helmet shows the gloved hands holding a camera, reflected in the helmet visor. far behind is the sun peeking behind the moon, and a half-full earth.

NASA to name Artemis 2 crew next week, the first moon astronauts in 50 years

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA will kickstart human moon exploration again with the announcement of the Artemis 2 crew of four astronauts on April 3. Three Americans and a Canadian will fly.

The Starliner team works to finalize the mate of the crew module and new service module for NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test that will take NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams to and from the International Space Station.

Boeing Starliner's 1st astronaut mission delayed to May at the earliest

By Mike Wall published

Boeing and NASA had been targeting April for Starliner's Crew Flight Test, but the astronaut mission will now launch after the private Ax-2 flight, which is targeted for early May.

still of a metal space structure bursting apart. clouds of dust fill the background. trees silhouette a cloudy sky

Boom! Sierra Space blows up final inflatable space station module in initial test series (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Sierra Space just destroyed (on purpose) another space module, wrapping up a four-part test series designed to help ready its inflatable habitats for future space missions.

astronaut floating beside lockers in space with his arm stretched out

UAE's 1st long-duration astronaut marks the start of Ramadan in space

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

Sultan Al Neyadi, who flew to space March 2 as part of the SpaceX Crew-6 mission, may not fast on the International Space Station under an exception for travelers.

a module on the exterior of the international space station

This mysterious streak of light over California is actually an old space station antenna meeting its doom (video)

By Josh Dinner published

St. Patrick's Day revelers in Sacramento, California witnessed an old piece of the space station burn up in the atmosphere on March 17.

janet kavandi holding a microphone next to sierra space dram chaser under construction. far in the background is a u.s. flag

Women's History Month: Retired NASA astronaut Janet Kavandi brings inclusion to Sierra Space missions

By Elizabeth Howell published

Spacewalks and radiation limits were limiting career opportunities for NASA women astronauts. Janet Kavandi pushed back those barriers but says more work is needed.

illustration of an episode of 'Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.' lunella sits on her bed and puts her hands on her head and grimaces. a floating phone next to her says '#girlswhocode.'

Exclusive: NASA astronaut Mae Jemison stars in Disney+ episode of 'Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur'

By Elizabeth Howell published

Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, voices a fictional app in a new episode of 'Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' that runs March 18, during Women's History Month.

a microscopic image showing orange blobs sticking to a green tree-like object

SpaceX delivers new science experiments to ISS to explore origins of life on Earth

By Josh Dinner published

SpaceX delivered a fresh round of science payloads to the International Space Station that will explore topics such as how to minimize microbial contamination inside spacecraft.

SpaceX CRS-27 Cargo Dragon spacecraft arrives at the International Space Station after a smooth ride.

SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrives at space station with NASA supplies

By Mike Wall published

A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule carrying nearly 6,300 pounds of supplies arrived at the International Space Station Thursday morning (March 16).

nicole mann smiling in a spacesuit with helmet open. she is sitting in a plush seat inside a white spacecraft and a bank of screens is just available on the right-hand side

1st Native American woman astronaut wants the world to 'share in that joy' after SpaceX Crew-5 flight

By Elizabeth Howell published

Shortly after coming home from the International Space Station, NASA's Nicole Mann talked about how she is trying to bring others into the field by sharing her journey.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour with the Ax-1 crew docks to the International Space Station on April 9, 2022.

Axiom Space targeting November 2023 for 3rd private astronaut mission to space station

By Mike Wall published

Axiom Space is targeting November 2023 for the launch of its Ax-3 mission, which will send four private astronauts to the International Space Station for a two-week stay.

the international space station as photographed while looking down at Earth

International Space Station fires thrusters to dodge space junk

By Brett Tingley published

The International Space Station (ISS) had to perform a debris avoidance maneuver to dodge yet another piece of space junk on Tuesday (March 14).