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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 screenshot shows the Saffire-V experiment mid-flame.

Watch NASA light a fire on a spaceship on purpose. You know, for science.

By Elizabeth Howell

A fiery experiment deliberately lit in a cargo spacecraft last month monitored larger and more dynamic flames than most previous efforts to learn how fire works in space have.

Crew-1 astronauts Mike Hopkins, Soichi Noguchi, Shannon Walker and Victor Glover connect with Skylab 4 science pilot Ed Gibson (on screen) to mark their SpaceX Dragon "Resilience" overtaking his command module's 84 days for the U.S. flight record.

SpaceX’s Crew-1 capsule breaks US spacecraft record set in 1974

By Robert Z. Pearlman

SpaceX's Crew-1 space capsule has just broken a U.S. spaceflight record set in 1974 by NASA's Skylab 4 mission.

JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi shared this photo on Twitter of Roscosmos' Progress MS-15 cargo craft burning up in Earth's atmosphere after deorbiting on Feb. 8, 2021.

A Russian 'space truck' just burst into flames on purpose and the photo is amazing

By Chelsea Gohd

A Russian "space truck" has met its fiery doom on its way home to Earth.

JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi captured this photo of Tampa, Florida, from the International Space Station.

The International Space Station will fly over Super Bowl 2021 stadium for the big game

By Tariq Malik

Astronauts on the International Space Station just might have the ultimate nosebleed seats for Super Bowl 2021.

Northrop Grumman's NG-15 Cygnus cargo ship has been named the "S.S. Katherine Johnson" in honor of the NASA mathematician and former "hidden figure."

Northrop Grumman names spacecraft for NASA 'Hidden Figure' Katherine Johnson

By Robert Z. Pearlman

A NASA mathematician whose calculations helped send the first American into orbit is the namesake for a resupply craft that will support the astronauts circling Earth today.

NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins completed the second in a series of two spacewalks today Feb. 1, 2021.

Spacewalking astronauts complete a space station battery upgrade years in the making

By Chelsea Gohd

Victor and Mike were at it again!

The Northrop Grumman Cygnus NG-14 cargo spacecraft at the International Space Station on Oct. 5, 2020. Its successor, NG-15, will launch on Feb. 20, 2021.

Northrop Grumman to launch next Cygnus cargo ship for NASA on Feb. 20

By Elizabeth Howell

Experiments with worms and artificial retinas will ship to space Feb. 20 aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft.

The Crew-2 mission astronauts — from left, ESA's Thomas Pesquet, NASA's Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and JAXA's Akihiko Hoshide — train for their upcoming mission on a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than April 20, 2020.

SpaceX, NASA target April 20 for next Crew Dragon launch to space station

By Meghan Bartels

SpaceX will launch the Crew-2 mission to the International Space Station on a Crew Dragon capsule no earlier than April 20, according to a statement from NASA.

NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins works to ready the International Space station's port-side truss structure for future solar array upgrades during a spacewalk on Jan. 27, 2021.

Spacewalking astronauts will install new cameras and wrap up space station power upgrades today. Watch it live!

By Hanneke Weitering

On Monday (Feb. 1) two NASA astronauts will set out for their second spacewalk together to tackle battery and camera upgrades at the International Space Station.

Roscosmos' 2021 cosmonaut candidates, from top left to bottom right: Sergey Irtuganov, Alexander Kolyabin, Sergey Teteryatnikov and Harutyun Kiviryan.

Roscosmos selects four new candidates, all men, to begin cosmonaut training

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Russia has chosen four new candidates to begin cosmonaut training after an extended one-and-a-half-year selection process.

Astronaut Victor Glover rides the Canadarm2 robotic arm outside the International Space Station while crewmate Michael Hopkins of NASA works nearby in a spacewalk on Jan. 27, 2021.

Spacewalking astronauts tackle European lab upgrade at space station

By Elizabeth Howell

Two spacewalking astronauts faced down and fixed technical glitches during a busy space lab module upgrade Wednesday (Jan. 27)

NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins (foreground) and Victor Glover configure tools inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock on Jan. 8, 2021, to prepare for two planned spacewalks.

Astronauts are taking a spacewalk today to upgrade a space station science module. Watch it live!

By Elizabeth Howell

Two NASA astronauts will upgrade a crucial International Space Station science module in orbit during a spacewalk today (Jan. 27), and you can watch the whole thing live.

Artist impression of lightning in clouds seen from space, followed by a blue flash that lasts 10 micro seconds, a blue jet lasting 400 milliseconds and an elve generated by the blue flash that lasts for 30 microseconds. The International Space Station's solar panels are shown in the foreground.

'Elves' and 'blue jet' lightning in Earth's stratosphere spotted from space

By Elizabeth Howell

Newly published observations from space are showing researchers more about the nature of Earth's lightning storms, including whimsically named phenomena such as "blue jets" and "elves."

The four members of the Axiom Space Ax-1 crew: Michael Lopez-Alegria, former NASA astronaut, Axiom Space vice president and Ax-1 commander; Larry Conner, U.S. real estate entrepreneur and Ax-1 pilot; Mark Pathy, Canadian investor and philanthropist; and Eytan Stibbe, Israeli businessman and fighter pilot.

Axiom Space names first private crew to launch to space station

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Axiom Space has unveiled the crew of the first entirely-private orbital space mission, Ax-1, to launch on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft this year.

Technicians observe as Boeing's Starliner crew module is placed on top of the service module in the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Jan. 14, 2021. The Starliner spacecraft is being prepared for Boeing's second Orbital Flight Test (OFT-2).

Boeing targets a March 25 launch for next Starliner test flight for NASA

By Hanneke Weitering

Boeing is planning to launch its Starliner astronaut taxi on a second test flight on March 25, company officials announced Monday (Jan. 25).

The fully assembled Starliner spacecraft being prepared to fly Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 is lifted inside the Starliner production factory at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Jan. 13, 2021.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft software passes qualification review for next NASA test flight

By Elizabeth Howell

The uncrewed test flight will launch in March.

SpaceX's Dragon CRS-21 cargo resupply ship is pictured docked to the International Space Station's Harmony module. At right, a portion of the JAXA Kibo laboratory module is pictured.

SpaceX's upgraded Cargo Dragon supply ship makes 1st Atlantic splashdown

By Hanneke Weitering

A SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply spacecraft returned to Earth from the International Space Station Wednesday (Jan. 13), splashing down off the coast of Florida for the first time ever.

boeing solar arrays international space station

Boeing to boost space station power supply with new solar arrays

By Robert Z. Pearlman

The International Space Station will soon be augmented with six new arrays to power its continued and expanded use.

Dream Chaser is capable of touching down on any runway that can welcome a Boeing 737.

Dream Chaser space plane's first flight slips to 2022 due to pandemic-related delays

By Nola Taylor Redd

Delays, many related to COVID, have pushed the first flight of the Dream Chaser space plane to 2022.

A SpaceX CRS-21 Cargo Dragon spacecraft makes the first automated undocking of a U.S. supply ship from the International Space Station on Jan. 12, 2020.

SpaceX Cargo Dragon supply ship makes 1st autonomous undocking from space station

By Elizabeth Howell

A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship made its first-ever autonomous undocking from the International Space Station Tuesday (Jan. 12)