International Space Station

Here are 20 interesting facts about the International Space Station (ISS):

1. 🚀 Launched in 1998 – The first module, Zarya, was launched by Russia on November 20, 1998.
   
   

2. 🛰️ International Collaboration – Built and operated by NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada).
   
   

3. 🏗️ Modular Structure – Assembled in orbit piece by piece with over 30 modules.
   
   

4. 🏠 Orbiting Laboratory – Serves as a microgravity and space environment research lab.
   
   

5. 🌍 Orbits Earth Every 90 Minutes – Travels at about 28,000 km/h, circling the Earth 16 times per day.
   
   

6. 🕰️ Time in Space – The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2, 2000.
   
   

7. 👩‍🚀 Crew Size – Typically hosts 7 astronauts at a time.
   
   

8. ⚙️ Built in Space – Much of the ISS was assembled in orbit, requiring more than 1,000 hours of spacewalks.
   
   

9. 🧪 Science Experiments – Over 3,000 experiments have been conducted from over 100 countries.
   
   

10. 🌡️ Temperature Extremes – Temperatures range from +121°C in sunlight to -157°C in shadow.
    
    

11. ☀️ Solar Powered – Uses large solar arrays to generate power—up to 120 kilowatts.
    
    

12. 🔁 Water is Recycled – Even urine and sweat are recycled into drinking water.
    
    

13. 🧬 Microgravity Effects – Studies the impact of microgravity on the human body, cells, and fluids.
    
    

14. 🛰️ Size of a Football Field – The ISS spans about 109 meters (357 feet) end to end.
    
    

15. 📡 High-Speed Internet – Provides internet connectivity through satellites.
    
    

16. 🌐 Visible from Earth – Can be seen with the naked eye as a bright moving dot in the sky.
    
    

17. 🤝 Peaceful Project – The ISS is a symbol of peaceful international cooperation in space.
    
    

18. 🔬 Cancer and Disease Research – Experiments on the ISS help develop better treatments on Earth.
    
    

19. 🧑‍🚀 Astronauts From Around the World – People from 20+ nations have visited the ISS.
    
    

20. 🔚 Future Plans – The ISS is expected to operate until at least 2030, after which commercial space stations may take over.