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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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The astronauts who will fly as part of SpaceX's Crew-1 mission, Crew Dragon commander NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, pilot and NASA astronaut Victor Glover and mission specialist, fellow NASA astronaut Shannon Walker and mission specialist and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi. The four will launch with this mission aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehicle to the International Space Station.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff

A group of British schoolchildren study lettuce grown from seeds carried into space as part of a project organized by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Students grow 'rocket lettuce' from space seeds

By Nola Taylor Redd

Students across the United Kingdom grew seeds that spent six months in space to learn how they would grow once back on Earth.

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy shared a view of Beirut, Lebanon, from space on Aug. 11, 2020.

NASA astronaut mourns Beirut blast victims from space

By Meghan Bartels

A week after two massive explosions echoed through Beirut, Lebanon, a NASA astronaut shared his view of the capital city from orbit and his best wishes for its residents.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule resembles a toasty marshmallow on board its transport as it returns to Port Canaveral on Aug. 7, 2020.

SpaceX's toasted Crew Dragon returns home after historic NASA astronaut splashdown

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule cruised into its home port Friday evening (Aug. 7), secured to one of the company’s recovery vessels.

Light curves around a black hole's event horizon

The top space stories of the week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia

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

The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020.

'It sounds like an animal': NASA astronauts describe the Crew Dragon reentry experience

By Elizabeth Howell

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft practically came alive during its dramatic dive through Earth's atmosphere on Sunday (Aug. 2), its NASA crew reported.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley give thumbs-up signs inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour onboard the GO Navigator recovery ship shortly after having landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida on Aug. 2, 2020. 

Trump hails SpaceX's 1st splashdown with NASA astronauts. Obama, too.

By Tariq Malik

President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama hailed SpaceX's first splashdown of NASA astronauts on Sunday (Aug. 2)

SpaceX founder Elon Musk spoke at the welcoming ceremony for Demo-2 astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken held on Aug. 2, 2020.

'I prayed for this one,' SpaceX's Elon Musk says after NASA astronauts' splashdown success

By Meghan Bartels

A relieved SpaceX CEO Elon Musk welcomed home the first NASA astronauts to fly to space on his company's Crew Dragon vehicle.

NASA astronauts BoB Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley are seen inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the GO Navigator recovery ship shortly after having landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida on Aug. 2, 2020. 

NASA hails success of SpaceX's 1st astronaut mission: 'This is just the beginning'

By Mike Wall

The success of SpaceX's first-ever crewed mission heralds a bright future for human spaceflight, NASA officials said.

Private boaters, one bearing a Trump flag, approach close to SpaceX's Demo-2 Crew Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley shortly after its splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico off the Pensacola, Florida coast on Aug. 2, 2020.

Boaters gatecrash SpaceX's 1st splashdown with astronauts. 'We need to do better,' NASA chief says

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX's first splashdown of NASA astronauts on a Crew Dragon capsule was gatecrashed by private boaters on Aug. 2, 2020.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020.

SpaceX Crew Dragon makes historic 1st splashdown to return NASA astronauts home

By Mike Wall

A Crew Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley splashed down today (Aug. 2), bringing an end to SpaceX's historic Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour with astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard is hoisted onto the deck of the recovery ship GO Navigator off the coast of Pensacola, Florida on Aug. 2, 2020.

SpaceX's historic Demo-2 Crew Dragon astronaut test flight: Full coverage

By Mike Wall

SpaceX is making history. See Space.com's complete coverage of the company's crewed Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft reenters Earth's atmosphere in this still from a SpaceX animation of how the Demo-2 mission works.

SpaceX to return NASA astronauts to Earth for the 1st time today. You can watch it live.

By Tariq Malik

A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft will make its first splashdown with NASA astronauts today in the Gulf of Mexico. Watch it live.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon Demo-2 spacecraft departs the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, on Aug. 1, 2020.

SpaceX Crew Dragon undocks from space station to bring NASA astronauts home for 1st time

By Hanneke Weitering

The first astronauts to fly in SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft are on their way back to Earth from the International Space Station.

An uncrewed SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule used during the Demo-1 test mission seen in the ocean after it splashed down in March 2019.

The 1st NASA astronauts to come home on SpaceX's Crew Dragon are ready for anything. Even seasickness.

By Meghan Bartels

Spaceflight tends to disagree with the human body, and two astronauts looking to return to Earth this weekend are prepared for the possibility their stomachs may revolt at the harsh treatment.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken, Chris Cassidy and Doug Hurley answer questions on July 31, 2020, from the International Space Station in advance of Behnken and Hurley's departure for Earth the next day.

NASA astronauts set to ride a SpaceX Crew Dragon back to Earth for the 1st time this weekend

By Meghan Bartels

After a busy two months in space, the first two NASA astronauts to visit the space station aboard a commercial vehicle are ready to come back to Earth — if the weather cooperates.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour (right) is seen docked at the International Space Station's Harmony module near Japan's HTV-9 cargo ship and the European Columbus laboratory on July 1, 2020. The capsule will return to Earth Aug. 2 with Demo-2 astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard.

SpaceX, NASA watch weather for historic astronaut splashdown on Sunday

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX is ready to return its first NASA astronaut crew to Earth, but a potential tropical cyclone could cause delays.

The crew for SpaceX's Crew-2 mission. From the left it's NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

NASA announces astronauts to launch on SpaceX's Crew-2 Dragon in 2021

By Chelsea Gohd

SpaceX's Crew-2 mission has its astronauts.

A Russian Soyuz rocket launches the uncrewed Progress 76 cargo ship toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on July 23, 2020. It's carrying nearly 3 tons of supplies for the station's crew.

Russia launches robotic cargo ship on zippy space station delivery mission

By Meghan Bartels

Five astronauts living in space are preparing to welcome a new shipment of supplies after an evening launch from Kazakhstan of an uncrewed Progress cargo vehicle.

A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying the uncrewed Progress 76 cargo ship is hoisted into launch position atop its pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan ahead of a July 23, 2020 launch.

Watch Russia launch a new cargo ship to the International Space Station today

By Tariq Malik

A Soyuz rocket will launch a Russian cargo ship to the International Space Station Thursday (July 29). Watch it live.