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 SpaceX Dragon CRS-26 cargo ship seen in space with the blue Earth below.

SpaceX Dragon cargo ship docks at space station to deliver solar arrays, seeds and more

By Mike Wall last updated

The robotic Dragon supply ship linked up with he ISS around 7:30 a.m. EST on Sunday (Nov. 27).

launch screenshot of rocket launching

SpaceX Dragon launches science, solar arrays to International Space Station

By Elizabeth Howell published

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft launched science and solar arrays to the International Space Station on Saturday.

Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin had been scheduled to perform a six-hour, 40-minute spacewalk outside of the International Space Station on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, but a problem with a backup ventilation pump in Prokopyev's Orlan spacesuit caused the extravehicular activity (EVA) to be aborted.

Failed spacesuit pump aborts planned Russian spacewalk at space station

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A scheduled spacewalk outside of the International Space Station was aborted on Friday (Nov. 25), after a problem was discovered with one of the two Russian cosmonauts' spacesuits.

The Orion spacecraft views Earth and moon during an Artemis 1 livestream Nov. 28, 2022.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff last updated

NASA's Orion spacecraft captured this amazing view of Earth and the moon today (Nov. 28) as it approaches its maximum distance from Earth.

a satellite view of the white house with a crowd in behind. arrows and text point to podiums with the u.s. president and the turkeys. an inset image shows u.s president joe biden beside a thanksgiving display

Gobble, gobble! Satellite spies Thanksgiving turkeys being 'pardoned' at White House (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

U.S. president Joe Biden and two Thanksgiving turkeys were caught by a space satellite Tuesday (Nov. 22) as Biden worked a NASA-themed joke into his 'pardon' speech.

astronaut in a spacesuit with the horizon of earth's atmosphere in behind. a part of the space station is visible at right

Thanksgiving space festivities come from 'the future,' astronauts say

By Elizabeth Howell published

U.S. astronauts on the International Space Station celebrated Thanksgiving a little early, but they still plan leisure time on Thursday (Nov. 24) to watch a football game.

Finalists in the European Space Agency's astronaut selection.

Europe's new astronaut class features 2 women and a paralympian trauma surgeon

By Tereza Pultarova published

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a new astronaut class with two women in the lineup and an amputee paralympic sprinter who is a trauma surgeon.

SpaceX's CRS-26 cargo mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch on Nov. 22, 2022.

SpaceX's next NASA cargo launch to space station delayed to Nov. 22

By Jeff Spry published

SpaceX's next cargo launch to the International Space Station (ISS) has been pushed back a day, to Tuesday (Nov. 22).

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.

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.

Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev (at right) and Dmitry Petelin prepare a large radiator for its move from the Rassvet mini-research module to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module during a Nov. 17, 2022 spacewalk outside of the Russian segment of the International Space Station.

Russian cosmonauts complete station spacewalk to ready radiator for move

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Two components of the Russian side of the International Space Station are a step closer to being robotically relocated after two cosmonauts completed a spacewalk to prepare the pieces for their move.

Expedition 65 flight engineer Oleg Novitskiy jettisoned a disc-shaped cable reel lid and piece of multi-layer insulation at the end of his and cosmonaut Pytor Dubrov’s spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021.

Watch Russian cosmonauts take a spacewalk outside space station today

By Mike Wall published

Two cosmonauts will venture outside the International Space Station for a seven-hour spacewalk today (Nov. 17) at 9:20 a.m. ET, and you can watch the action live.

NASA astronauts Frank Rubio (at left) and Josh Cassada (with back to the camera) work to install a mounting frame for a new International Space Station (ISS) Roll Out Solar Array (iROSA) during a spacewalk on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022.

Spacewalking NASA astronauts erect support frame for new ISS solar array

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio completed the first in a series of three spacewalks to continue upgrading the power supply for the International Space Station.

The crater-riddled far side of the moon seen by the Orion spacecraft.

The top space stories of the week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated

The sunlight-riding LightSail 2 ends its mission, Artemis 1 flies close to the moon and Europe announces its newest astronauts. These are some of this week's top stories.

Osom Brand's socks, the first upcycled footwear worn in space, are seen floating in the multi-window Cupola on the International Space Station during astronaut Doug Hurley's 2020 stay.

First upcycled socks worn in space inspire astronaut's new limited edition footwear

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Now you can dress like an astronaut, or at least your feet can, with limited edition socks of the Osom Brand style used by Doug Hurley on the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the company's CRS-25 cargo mission to the International Space Station on July 14, 2022.

Tropical Storm Nicole delays next SpaceX cargo launch to Nov. 21

By Mike Wall published

Tropical Storm Nicole has pushed the liftoff of SpaceX's next cargo mission to the International Space Station back by three days.

Astronaut Bob Behnken is retiring from NASA after 22 years with the space agency.

Astronaut Bob Behnken retires from NASA after trailblazing 22-year career

By Mike Wall published

Bob Behnken is retiring from NASA after a pioneering 22-year career that includes three spaceflights, including SpaceX's first-ever crewed mission.

Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams debut a new look for their mission patch while participating in a crew validation test at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA astronauts debut new patch design for Boeing Starliner crew flight test

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

The first astronauts set to fly on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft debuted a new look for their mission patch. Crew Flight Test commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams sported the new insignia.

The Cygnus cargo craft is pictured moments after being captured with the Canadarm2 robotic arm controlled by NASA astronaut Nicole Mann.

Cygnus cargo ship arrives at space station with only one working solar panel

By Mike Wall published

The private Cygnus cargo craft has arrived at the International Space Station early Wednesday morning (Nov. 9) despite being unable to deploy one of its two solar arrays.

u.s. flag against a multi-frame window with the earth below

NASA astronaut votes from space bunk bed for Election Day 2022

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA astronaut Josh Cassada voted in the U.S. midterms from a bunk bed aboard the International Space Station, joining an elite cadre of people who cast their ballots from orbit.