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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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In this 16-image series, you can see NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft using its 11-foot robotic arm TAGSAM taking a sample from asteroid Bennu on Oct. 20, 2020. The arm's "head" briefly touched down on the asteroid's surface, where it emitted a puff of nitrogen gas. This gas stirred up asteroid material that was then collected into a container in TAGSAM.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff

In this 16-image series, you can see NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft using its 11-foot robotic arm TAGSAM taking a sample from asteroid Bennu on Oct. 20, 2020.

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy gives a salute after returning to Earth on a Russian Soyuz MS-16 space capsule, landing in the remote steppes of Kazakhstan, on Oct. 21, 2020.

Soyuz crew lands from space station ahead of ISS 20-year milestone

By Robert Z. Pearlman

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner are back on Earth.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster will launch 10 Earth observation satellites into space from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula, one of four big space events on Oct. 21, 2020.

Watch a rocket launch, spaceship landing, asteroid update and more live today

By Meghan Bartels

If you're looking for more space in your life, look no farther: The stars have aligned to bring your four separate space events today (Oct. 21).

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins affixes an Expedition 64 decal inside the bus carrying her and fellow crewmates Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 14, 2020.

Astronaut Kate Rubins drew from photo to design new space station patch

By Robert Z. Pearlman

An astronaut's photograph of the Earth is set to represent her and her crewmates' new mission, almost four years to the day after the image was first shared with the public.

Jessica Meir (at left) and Christina Koch conducted the first all-female EVA on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch reflects on 1-year anniversary of first all-woman spacewalk

By Chelsea Gohd

NASA astronaut Christina Koch reflected on her participation in the first all-woman spacewalk ahead of its one-year anniversary on Sunday (Oct. 18).

NASA's 2017 Class of Astronauts participate in graduation ceremonies at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on Jan. 10, 2020. From left are, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Joshua Kutryk, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, CSA astronaut Jennifer Sidey-Gibbon, NASA astronauts Frank Rubio, Kayla Barron, Jasmin Moghbeli, Loral O'Hara, Zena Cardman, Raja Chari, Matthew Dominick, Bob Hines and Warren Hoburg. This is the first class to graduate under the Artemis program, and the 13 astronauts are now eligible for assignments to the International Space Station, Artemis missions to the Moon, and ultimately, missions to Mars.

Astronaut requirements changing rapidly with private spaceflyers, long-duration missions

By Elizabeth Howell

Being an astronaut of the 2020s will be completely different than it was for any astronaut that came before, a panel of spaceflyers told the International Astronautical Congress on Oct. 14.

The snowcapped mountains of Pluto's Pigafetta Montes and Elcano Montes and the Alps on Earth are seen side by side in this view.

The top space stories of the week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia

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

The International Space Station, as seen from the space shuttle Atlantis in July 2011, on the final flight of the shuttle program.

Cosmonauts patch small air leak on International Space Station: reports

By Meghan Bartels

Cosmonauts are making progress in the fight against the small air leak that has beleaguered the International Space Station for months, according to Russian reports.

Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner photographed a Soyuz rocket launching three colleagues to space on Oct. 14, 2020.

Blastoff! Cosmonaut snaps amazing photos of Soyuz rocket launch from space

By Meghan Bartels

Three astronauts made a record-setting jaunt to the International Space Station, and another astronaut already in orbit caught stunning photos of the launch.

The Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov is seen as it approaches the International Space Station during a 3-hour flight on Oct. 14, 2020.

A Soyuz capsule just made a record-breaking 3-hour flight to the International Space Station

By Hanneke Weitering

Three new crewmembers arrived at the International Space Station today (Oct. 14) after a record-breaking speedy flight to the orbiting lab.

Michael Lopez-Alegria, seen here in 2006 during his last visit to the International Space Station, is now assigned to command Axiom Space's AX-1 commercial mission to the orbital complex.

Former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria to return to orbit on Axiom private mission

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Michael Lopez-Alegria had no plans to fly into space again. But should all go to plan, about a year from now, he will lead the first fully-private mission to the International Space Station.

Russia’s Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft launches with Kate Rubins of NASA and Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos for the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Oct. 14, 2020.

Soyuz crew launches on 'ultrafast' two-orbit flight to space station

By Robert Z. Pearlman

NASA's Kate Rubins and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov launched to the International Space Station just ahead of and to extend 20 years of a continuous human presence in orbit.

NASA astronaut Danny Olivas smiles on the flight deck of space shuttle Atlantis during the STS-117 mission to the International Space Station in June 2007

Shuttle astronaut Danny Olivas talks diversity on Earth (and space) in 'Virtual Astronaut' webcast Wednesday

By Elizabeth Howell

Two-time shuttle astronaut John "Danny" Olivas will host a virtual talk about how working for diversity improves equity and opportunities for organizations.

From left to right, NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi. The four will launch to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s Crew-1 mission.

SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA delayed until November

By Mike Wall

The upcoming Crew-1 mission, which had been scheduled to launch Oct. 31, will now occur no sooner than early to mid-November.

NASA astronaut Steve Smith gives a thumbs-up signal during a spacewalk.

Spacewalking astronaut Steve Smith talks teamwork lessons in 'Virtual Astronaut' webcast Tuesday

By Elizabeth Howell

Steve Smith has faced down some of the more complicated spacewalks in NASA history.

The Cygnus cargo craft S.S. Kalpana Chawla arrives at the International Space Station on Oct. 5, 2020.

Cygnus freighter delivers space toilet and more to astronauts on space station

By Mike Wall

The astronauts aboard the International Space Station just got nearly 4 tons of new supplies, including a $23 million titanium space toilet.

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus NG-14 cargo ship launches toward the International Space Station from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia on Oct. 2, 2020.

Antares rocket launches new astronaut toilet and more to space station for NASA

By Chelsea Gohd

A robotic Cygnus spacecraft successfully blasted off from Virginia today (Oct. 1) carrying nearly 4 tons of gear, including a new space toilet, to the International Space Station.

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus CG-14 cargo ship stands atop Launch Pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility ahead of an Oct. 1, 2020 launch try.

Northrop Grumman aborts launch of Antares rocket carrying NASA cargo minutes before liftoff

By Tariq Malik

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket carrying tons of NASA supplies suffered a launch abort just minutes before liftoff late Thursday (Oct. 1).

This NASA graphic shows the visibility path and times, in seconds after liftoff, for Northrop Grumman's NG-14 Cygnus cargo launch on an Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Oct. 1, 2020.

An Antares rocket launch for NASA may be visible along the US East Coast tonight. Here's how to watch.

By Joe Rao

Northrop Grumman will launch NASA cargo from Virginia tonight (Oct. 2) and it may be visible on the U.S. East Coast. Here's how to watch.

NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi will fly on the Crew-1 mission, currently scheduled to launch on Oct. 31.

SpaceX's next astronaut flight for NASA to include heat shield tweak and more

By Meghan Bartels

SpaceX and NASA are preparing for the first full-fledged crew flight to the International Space Station, which will look similar — but not identical — to the crewed test flight this summer.