INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

About the International Space Station (ISS)

It is a habitable artificial satellite, in low Earth orbit (at an altitude of between 370-460 km).
Travels at a speed of 5 miles/second, orbiting Earth about every 90 minutes.
Weighs - almost 400 tonnes.
Its first component was launched into orbit in 1998 and new modules were added as recently as 2021.
It will continue to be a working laboratory and outpost in orbit until at least 2030.
ISS was taken into space piece-by-piece and gradually built in orbit, with its assembly requiring more than 40 missions.

Research and Science: It provides opportunities to conduct meaningful studies on topics such as DNA sequencing, robotics, and satellites in microgravity environment which is not possible on Earth.
International Cooperation: International partnership of space agencies has led to global collaboration in developing space facilities;
Human health: Research is being carried out to study disease formation, testing drugs and diagnostic tools, and examining the inner workings of the human body.
Low Earth Orbit Economy: ISS is used by small businesses and entrepreneurs to test their technology in space.
It supports development of new and improved products, and provides growth for commercial ventures.

Prime Minister of India directed that India should now aim for setting up 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station' (Indian Space Station) by 2035.
ISRO is planning to carry out the first tests of the proposed Bharatiya Space Station next year and talks are on with the industry to manufacture, test and launch its first module by 2028.
It will orbit Earth at an altitude of around 400km.
Russia: (Salyut 1)
- It was world's first space station launched by the Soviet Union on April 19, 1971.
China: (Tiangong 1)
- launched in 2011
- Tiangong -2 launched in 2016 were test space labs
- Tiangong space station was launched in 2021 (fully operational since late 2022).
USA: (Skylab):
- USA's first space station, launched by NASA in 1973.