International Space Station The International Space Station, as seen from Space Shuttle Endeavour in May 2011. ISS insignia Station statistics COSPAR ID 1998-067A Call sign Alpha Crew Fully crewed 6 Currently aboard 6 (Expedition 38) Launch 19982020 Launch pad Baikonur 1/5 and 81/23 Kennedy LC-39 Mass approximately 450,000kg (990,000lb) Length 72.8m (239ft) Width 108.5m (356ft) Height c. 20m (c. 66ft) nadirzenith, arrays forwardaft (27 November 2009)[dated info] Pressurised volume 837m3 (29,600cuft) (21 March 2011) Atmospheric pressure 101.3kPa (29.91inHg, 1 atm) Perigee 414km (257mi) AMSL[1] Apogee 421km (262mi) AMSL[1] Orbital inclination 51.65degrees[1] Average speed 7.66 kilometres per second (27,600km/h; 17,100mph)[1] Orbital period 92.92minutes[1] Orbit epoch 14 December 2013[1] Days in orbit 5509 (20 December) Days occupied 4796 (20 December) Number of orbits 86,263[1] Orbital decay 2km/month Statistics as of 9 March 2011 (unless noted otherwise) References: [1][2][3][4][5][6] Configuration Station elements as of December 2011[update], but missing Pirs (exploded view)

The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ninth space station to be inhabited by crews, it follows the Soviet and later Russian Salyut, Almaz, and Mir stations, and Skylab from the U.S. The ISS is a modular structure whose first component was launched in 1998.[7] Now the largest artificial body in orbit, it can often be seen at the appropriate time with the naked eye from Earth.[8] The ISS consists of pressurised modules, external trusses, solar arrays and other components. ISS components have been launched by American Space Shuttles as well as Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets.[9] Budget constraints led to the merger of three space station projects with the Japanese Kib module and Canadian robotics. In 1993 the partially built components for a Soviet/Russian space station Mir-2, the proposed American Freedom, and the proposed European Columbus merged into a single multinational programme.[9] The ISS is arguably the most expensive single item ever constructed.[10]

The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew members conduct experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology and other fields.[11][12][13] The station is suited for the testing of spacecraft systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon and Mars.[14]

Since the arrival of Expedition 1 on 2 November 2000, the station has been continuously occupied for 700113000000000000013years and 700148000000000000048days, the longest continuous human presence in space. (In 2010, the station surpassed the previous record of almost 10 years (or 3,634 days) held by Mir.) The station is serviced by a variety of visiting spacecraft: Soyuz, Progress, the Automated Transfer Vehicle, the H-II Transfer Vehicle,[15]Dragon, and Cygnus. It has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.[16]

The ISS programme is a joint project among five participating space agencies: NASA, Roskosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA.[15][17] The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.[18] The station is divided into two sections, the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS) and the United States Orbital Segment (USOS), which is shared by many nations. The ISS maintains an orbit with an altitude of between 330km (205mi) and 435km (270mi) by means of reboost manoeuvres using the engines of the Zvezda module or visiting spacecraft. It completes 15.50orbits per day.[19] The ISS is funded until 2020, and may operate until 2028.[20][21][22] The Russian Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos (RKA) has proposed using the ISS to commission modules for a new space station, called OPSEK, before the remainder of the ISS is deorbited.

According to the original Memorandum of Understanding between NASA and Rosaviakosmos, the International Space Station was intended to be a laboratory, observatory and factory in space. It was also planned to provide transportation, maintenance, and act as a staging base for possible future missions to the Moon, Mars and asteroids.[23] In the 2010 United States National Space Policy, the ISS was given additional roles of serving commercial, diplomatic[24] and educational purposes.[25]

The ISS provides a platform to conduct scientific research that cannot be performed in any other way. While small unmanned spacecraft can provide platforms for zero gravity and exposure to space, space stations offer a long term environment where studies can be performed potentially for decades, combined with ready access by human researchers over periods that exceed the capabilities of manned spacecraft.[16][26]

The Station simplifies individual experiments by eliminating the need for separate rocket launches and research staff. The primary fields of research include Astrobiology, astronomy, human research including space medicine and life sciences, physical sciences, materials science, space weather and weather on Earth (meteorology).[11][12][13][27][28] Scientists on Earth have access to the crew's data and can modify experiments or launch new ones, benefits generally unavailable on unmanned spacecraft.[26] Crews fly expeditions of several months duration, providing approximately 160 man-hours a week of labour with a crew of 6.[11][29]

Kib is intended to accelerate Japan's progress in science and technology, gain new knowledge and apply it to such fields as industry and medicine.[30]

In order to detect dark matter and answer other fundamental questions about our universe, engineers and scientists from all over the world built the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), which NASA compares to the Hubble telescope, and says could not be accommodated on a free flying satellite platform due in part to its power requirements and data bandwidth needs.[31][32] On 3 April 2013, NASA scientists reported that hints of dark matter may have been detected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.[33][34][35][36][37][38] According to the scientists, "The first results from the space-borne Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer confirm an unexplained excess of high-energy positrons in Earth-bound cosmic rays."

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