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The International Space Station (ISS) is a research facility
currently being assembled in
Low Earth Orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is
scheduled to be complete by 2011, with operations continuing until at least
2015. As of 2009, the ISS is the largest artificial satellite in
Earth orbit, with
a mass larger than any previous
space
station.
The ISS is a joint project among the space agencies of the United States (National
Aeronautics and Space Administration—NASA), Russia (Russian
Federal Space Agency—RKA), Japan (Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency—JAXA), Canada (Canadian
Space Agency—CSA) and ten European nations (European
Space Agency—ESA). The
Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) participates through a separate contract with
NASA. The
Italian Space Agency (ASI) similarly has separate contracts for various
activities not done within the framework of ESA's ISS projects (where
Italy also fully
participates). China has reportedly expressed interest in the project,
especially if it would be able to work with the
RKA, although as of 2009 it is not involved due to objections from the
United States.
The space station can be seen from Earth with the
naked eye, orbiting at an altitude of approximately 350 kilometres (220 mi)
above the surface of the Earth, travelling at an average speed of
27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour, completing 15.7
orbits per day.
The ISS has been continuously staffed since the first resident crew,
Expedition 1, entered the station on 2 November 2000. This has provided a
permanent human presence in space for the last 8 years, 259 days. Prior to May
2009, the station had the capacity for a crew of three. However, to fulfil an
active research programme, since the arrival of
Expedition 20, it has been staffed by a resident crew of six. The crew of
Expedition 20 is currently aboard.
Early crew members all came from the American, Russian and Canadian space
programmes until German ESA astronaut
Thomas Reiter joined the
Expedition 13 crew in July 2006. The station has been visited by
astronauts from 16 different nations, and it was the destination of the
first six
space
tourists.
