Most space flights are carried out not in circular orbits, but in elliptical orbits, the altitude of which varies depending on the location above the Earth. The altitude of the so-called “low reference” orbit, from which most spacecraft “push off”, is approximately 200 kilometers above sea level. To be precise, the perigee of such an orbit is 193 kilometers, and the apogee is 220 kilometers. However, in the reference orbit there is a large amount of debris left behind by half a century of space exploration, so modern spacecraft, turning on their engines, move to a higher orbit. For example, the International Space Station ( ISS) in 2017 rotated at an altitude of about 417 kilometers, that is, twice as high as the reference orbit.

The orbital altitude of most spacecraft depends on the mass of the ship, its launch location, and the power of its engines. For astronauts it varies from 150 to 500 kilometers. So, for example, Yuri Gagarin flew in orbit at perigee 175 km and apogee at 320 km. The second Soviet cosmonaut German Titov flew in an orbit with a perigee of 183 km and an apogee of 244 km. American shuttles flew in orbit altitude from 400 to 500 kilometers. All modern spacecraft delivering people and cargo to the ISS have approximately the same height.

Unlike manned spacecraft, which need to return astronauts to Earth, artificial satellites fly in much higher orbits. The orbital altitude of a satellite orbiting in geostationary orbit can be calculated based on data about the mass and diameter of the Earth. As a result of simple physical calculations, we can find out that geostationary orbit altitude, that is, one in which the satellite “hangs” over one point on the earth’s surface, is equal to 35,786 kilometers. This is a very large distance from the Earth, so the signal exchange time with such a satellite can reach 0.5 seconds, which makes it unsuitable, for example, for servicing online games.

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2018 marks the 20th anniversary of one of the most significant international space projects, the largest artificial habitable satellite of the Earth - the International Space Station (ISS). 20 years ago, on January 29, the Agreement on the creation of a space station was signed in Washington, and already on November 20, 1998, construction of the station began - the Proton launch vehicle was successfully launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome with the first module - the Zarya functional cargo block (FGB) " In the same year, on December 7, the second element of the orbital station, the Unity connecting module, was docked with the Zarya FGB. Two years later, a new addition to the station was the Zvezda service module.

On November 2, 2000, the International Space Station (ISS) began its operation in manned mode. The Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft with the crew of the first long-term expedition docked to the Zvezda service module.The ship's approach to the station was carried out according to the scheme that was used during flights to the Mir station. Ninety minutes after docking, the hatch was opened and the ISS-1 crew stepped aboard the ISS for the first time.The ISS-1 crew included Russian cosmonauts Yuri GIDZENKO, Sergei KRIKALEV and American astronaut William SHEPHERD.

Arriving at the ISS, the cosmonauts reactivated, retrofitted, launched and configured the systems of the Zvezda, Unity and Zarya modules and established communications with mission control centers in Korolev and Houston near Moscow. Over the course of four months, 143 sessions of geophysical, biomedical and technical research and experiments were carried out. In addition, the ISS-1 team provided dockings with the Progress M1-4 cargo spacecraft (November 2000), Progress M-44 (February 2001) and the American shuttle Endeavor (Endeavour, December 2000) , Atlantis (“Atlantis”; February 2001), Discovery (“Discovery”; March 2001) and their unloading. Also in February 2001, the expedition team integrated the Destiny laboratory module into the ISS.

On March 21, 2001, with the American space shuttle Discovery, which delivered the crew of the second expedition to the ISS, the team of the first long-term mission returned to Earth. The landing site was the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA.

In subsequent years, the Quest airlock chamber, the Pirs docking compartment, the Harmony connecting module, the Columbus laboratory module, the Kibo cargo and research module, the Poisk small research module, were docked to the International Space Station. residential module “Tranquility”, observation module “Domes”, small research module “Rassvet”, multifunctional module “Leonardo”, transformable test module “BEAM”.

Today, the ISS is the largest international project, a manned orbital station used as a multi-purpose space research complex. The space agencies ROSCOSMOS, NASA (USA), JAXA (Japan), CSA (Canada), ESA (European countries) participate in this global project.

With the creation of the ISS, it became possible to perform scientific experiments in the unique conditions of microgravity, in a vacuum and under the influence of cosmic radiation. The main areas of research are physical and chemical processes and materials in space, Earth exploration and space exploration technologies, man in space, space biology and biotechnology. Considerable attention in the work of astronauts on the International Space Station is paid to educational initiatives and the popularization of space research.

The ISS is a unique experience of international cooperation, support and mutual assistance; construction and operation in low-Earth orbit of a large engineering structure that is of paramount importance for the future of all mankind.

MAIN MODULES OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION	CONDITIONS DESIGNATION	START	DONKING

Briefly about the article: The ISS is humanity's most expensive and ambitious project on the path to space exploration. However, the construction of the station is in full swing, and it is still unknown what will happen to it in a couple of years. We talk about the creation of the ISS and plans for its completion.

Space house

International Space Station

You remain in charge. But don't touch anything.

A joke made by Russian cosmonauts about American Shannon Lucid, which they repeated every time they exited the Mir station into outer space (1996).

Back in 1952, German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun said that humanity would very soon need space stations: once it goes into space, it will be unstoppable. And for the systematic exploration of the Universe, orbital houses are needed. On April 19, 1971, the Soviet Union launched the first space station in human history, Salyut 1. It was only 15 meters long, and the volume of habitable space was 90 square meters. By today's standards, the pioneers flew into space on unreliable scrap metal stuffed with radio tubes, but then it seemed that there were no more barriers for humans in space. Now, 30 years later, there is only one habitable object hanging over the planet - “International Space Station.”

It is the largest, most advanced, but at the same time the most expensive station among all that have ever been launched. Questions are increasingly being asked: do people need it? Like, what do we really need in space if there are still so many problems on Earth? Perhaps it’s worth figuring out what this ambitious project is?

The roar of the cosmodrome

The International Space Station (ISS) is a joint project of 6 space agencies: Federal Space Agency (Russia), National Aeronautics and Space Agency (USA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Administration (JAXA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA/ASC), Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) and European Space Agency (ESA).

However, not all members of the latter took part in the ISS project - Great Britain, Ireland, Portugal, Austria and Finland refused, and Greece and Luxembourg joined later. In fact, the ISS is based on a synthesis of failed projects - the Russian Mir-2 station and the American Liberty station.

Work on the creation of the ISS began in 1993. The Mir station was launched on February 19, 1986 and had a warranty period of 5 years. In fact, she spent 15 years in orbit - due to the fact that the country simply did not have the money to launch the Mir-2 project. The Americans had similar problems - the Cold War ended, and their Freedom station, on the design alone of which about 20 billion dollars had already been spent, found itself out of work.

Russia had 25 years of experience working with orbital stations and unique methods for long-term (over a year) human stay in space. In addition, the USSR and the USA had good experience of working together on board the Mir station. In conditions when no country could independently build an expensive orbital station, the ISS became the only alternative.

On March 15, 1993, representatives of the Russian Space Agency and the scientific and production association Energia approached NASA with a proposal to create the ISS. On September 2, a corresponding government agreement was signed, and by November 1, a detailed work plan was prepared. Financial issues of interaction (supply of equipment) were resolved in the summer of 1994, and 16 countries joined the project.

What's in your name? The name “ISS” was born in controversy. The first crew of the station, at the suggestion of the Americans, gave it the name “Alpha Station” and used it for some time in communication sessions. Russia did not agree with this option, since “Alpha” in a figurative sense meant “first,” although the Soviet Union had already launched 8 space stations (7 Salyut and Mir), and the Americans were experimenting with their Skylab. On our part, the name “Atlant” was proposed, but the Americans rejected it for two reasons - firstly, it was too similar to the name of their shuttle “Atlantis”, and secondly, it was associated with the mythical Atlantis, which, as is known, sank . It was decided to settle on the phrase “International Space Station” - not too sonorous, but a compromise option.

Let's go!

The deployment of the ISS was started by Russia on November 20, 1998. The Proton rocket launched the Zarya functional cargo block into orbit, which, along with the American docking module NODE-1, delivered into space on December 5 of the same year by the Endever shuttle, formed the “backbone” of the ISS.

"Zarya"- the successor of the Soviet TKS (transport supply ship), designed to serve the Almaz battle stations. At the first stage of assembling the ISS, it became a source of electricity, an equipment warehouse, and a means of navigation and orbit adjustment. All other modules of the ISS now have a more specific specialization, while Zarya is almost universal and in the future will serve as a storage facility (power, fuel, instruments).

Officially, Zarya is owned by the United States - they paid for its creation - but in fact the module was assembled from 1994 to 1998 at the Khrunichev State Space Center. It was included in the ISS instead of the Bus-1 module, designed by the American corporation Lockheed, because it cost 450 million dollars versus 220 million for Zarya.

Zarya has three docking gates - one at each end and one at the side. Its solar panels reach 10.67 meters in length and 3.35 meters in width. In addition, the module has six nickel-cadmium batteries capable of delivering about 3 kilowatts of power (at first there were problems charging them).

Along the outer perimeter of the module there are 16 fuel tanks with a total volume of 6 cubic meters (5700 kilograms of fuel), 24 large rotary jet engines, 12 small ones, as well as 2 main engines for serious orbital maneuvers. Zarya is capable of autonomous (unmanned) flight for 6 months, but due to delays with the Russian Zvezda service module, it had to fly empty for 2 years.

Unity module(created by the Boeing Corporation) went into space after Zarya in December 1998. Equipped with six docking airlocks, it became the central connection point for subsequent station modules. Unity is vital to the ISS. The working resources of all station modules - oxygen, water and electricity - pass through it. Unity also has a basic radio communications system installed that allows it to use Zarya's communications capabilities to communicate with Earth.

Service module “Zvezda”- the main Russian segment of the ISS - launched on July 12, 2000 and docked with Zarya 2 weeks later. Its frame was built back in the 1980s for the Mir-2 project (the design of the Zvezda is very reminiscent of the first Salyut stations, and its design features are similar to the Mir station).

Simply put, this module is housing for astronauts. It is equipped with life support, communications, control, data processing systems, as well as a propulsion system. The total mass of the module is 19,050 kilograms, length is 13.1 meters, the span of solar panels is 29.72 meters.

“Zvezda” has two sleeping places, an exercise bike, a treadmill, a toilet (and other hygienic facilities), and a refrigerator. External visibility is provided by 14 portholes. The Russian electrolytic system “Electron” decomposes waste water. Hydrogen is removed overboard, and oxygen enters the life support system. The “Air” system, which absorbs carbon dioxide, works in tandem with the “Electron”.

Theoretically, waste water can be purified and reused, but this is rarely practiced on the ISS - fresh water is delivered on board by Progress cargo ships. It must be said that the Electron system malfunctioned several times and the cosmonauts had to use chemical generators - the same “oxygen candles” that once caused a fire at the Mir station.

In February 2001, a laboratory module was attached to the ISS (on one of the Unity gateways) "Destiny"(“Destiny”) is an aluminum cylinder weighing 14.5 tons, 8.5 meters long and 4.3 meters in diameter. It is equipped with five mounting racks with life support systems (each weighs 540 kilograms and can produce electricity, cool water and control air composition), as well as six racks with scientific equipment delivered a little later. The remaining 12 empty installation spaces will be filled over time.

In May 2001, the main airlock compartment of the ISS, the Quest Joint Airlock, was attached to Unity. This six-ton ​​cylinder, measuring 5.5 by 4 meters, is equipped with four high-pressure cylinders (2 - oxygen, 2 - nitrogen) to compensate for the loss of air released outside, and is relatively inexpensive - only 164 million dollars.

Its working space of 34 cubic meters is used for spacewalks, and the size of the airlock allows the use of spacesuits of any type. The fact is that the design of our Orlans assumes their use only in Russian transition compartments, a similar situation with American EMUs.

In this module, astronauts going into space can also rest and breathe pure oxygen to get rid of decompression sickness (with a sharp change in pressure, nitrogen, the amount of which in the tissues of our bodies reaches 1 liter, turns into a gaseous state).

The last of the assembled modules of the ISS is the Russian docking compartment Pirs (SO-1). The creation of SO-2 was stopped due to problems with financing, so the ISS now has only one module, to which the Soyuz-TMA and Progress spacecraft can be easily docked - and three of them at once. In addition, cosmonauts wearing our spacesuits can go outside from it.

And finally, we cannot help but mention another module of the ISS - the baggage multi-purpose support module. Strictly speaking, there are three of them - “Leonardo”, “Raffaello” and “Donatello” (Renaissance artists, as well as three of the four Ninja Turtles). Each module is an almost equilateral cylinder (4.4 by 4.57 meters) transported on shuttles.

It can store up to 9 tons of cargo (full weight - 4082 kilograms, with a maximum load - 13154 kilograms) - supplies delivered to the ISS and waste removed from it. All module luggage is in the normal air environment, so astronauts can reach it without using spacesuits. The luggage modules were manufactured in Italy by order of NASA and belong to the American segments of the ISS. They are used alternately.

Useful little things

In addition to the main modules, the ISS contains a large amount of additional equipment. It is smaller in size than the modules, but without it the operation of the station is impossible.

The working “arms,” or rather the “arm” of the station, is the “Canadarm2” manipulator, mounted on the ISS in April 2001. This high-tech machine, worth $600 million, is capable of moving objects weighing up to 116 tons - for example, assisting in the installation of modules, docking and unloading shuttles (their own “hands” are very similar to “Canadarm2”, only smaller and weaker).

The actual length of the manipulator is 17.6 meters, diameter is 35 centimeters. It is controlled by astronauts from a laboratory module. The most interesting thing is that “Canadarm2” is not fixed in one place and is able to move along the surface of the station, providing access to most of its parts.

Unfortunately, due to differences in connection ports located on the surface of the station, “Canadarm2” cannot move around our modules. In the near future (presumably 2007), it is planned to install ERA (European Robotic Arm) on the Russian segment of the ISS - a shorter and weaker, but more accurate manipulator (positioning accuracy - 3 millimeters), capable of working in semi-automatic mode without constant control by astronauts.

In accordance with the safety requirements of the ISS project, a rescue ship is constantly on duty at the station, capable of delivering the crew to Earth if necessary. Now this function is performed by the good old Soyuz (TMA model) - it is capable of taking 3 people on board and ensuring their vital functions for 3.2 days. “Soyuz” have a short warranty period for staying in orbit, so they are replaced every 6 months.

The workhorses of the ISS are currently the Russian Progresses - siblings of the Soyuz, operating in unmanned mode. During the day, an astronaut consumes about 30 kilograms of cargo (food, water, hygiene products, etc.). Consequently, for a regular six-month duty at the station, one person needs 5.4 tons of supplies. It is impossible to carry so much on the Soyuz, so the station is supplied mainly by shuttles (up to 28 tons of cargo).

After the cessation of their flights, from February 1, 2003 to July 26, 2005, the entire load for the station’s clothing support lay with the Progresses (2.5 tons of load). After unloading the ship, it was filled with waste, undocked automatically and burned up in the atmosphere somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.

Crew: 2 people (as of July 2005), maximum 3

Orbit altitude: From 347.9 km to 354.1 km

Orbital inclination: 51.64 degrees

Daily revolutions around the Earth: 15.73

Distance traveled: About 1.5 billion kilometers

Average speed: 7.69 km/s

Current weight: 183.3 tons

Fuel weight: 3.9 tons

Volume of living space: 425 square meters

Average temperature on board: 26.9 degrees Celsius

Estimated completion of construction: 2010

Planned lifespan: 15 years

Complete assembly of the ISS will require 39 shuttle flights and 30 Progress flights. In its finished form, the station will look like this: air space volume - 1200 cubic meters, weight - 419 tons, power supply - 110 kilowatts, total length of the structure - 108.4 meters (modules - 74 meters), crew - 6 people.

At a crossroads

Until 2003, the construction of the ISS continued as usual. Some modules were cancelled, others were delayed, sometimes problems arose with money, faulty equipment - in general, things were difficult, but still, over the 5 years of its existence, the station became inhabited and scientific experiments were periodically carried out on it.

On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia died upon entering the dense layers of the atmosphere. The American manned flight program was suspended for 2.5 years. Considering that the station modules awaiting their turn could only be launched into orbit by shuttles, the very existence of the ISS was under threat.

Fortunately, the US and Russia were able to agree on a redistribution of costs. We took over the provision of cargo to the ISS, and the station itself was switched to standby mode - two cosmonauts were constantly on board to monitor the serviceability of the equipment.

Shuttle launches

After the successful flight of the Discovery shuttle in July-August 2005, there was hope that construction of the station would continue. First in line for launch is the twin of the “Unity” connecting module - “Node 2”. Its preliminary start date is December 2006.

The European scientific module “Columbus” will be the second: launch is scheduled for March 2007. This laboratory is already ready and waiting in the wings - it will need to be attached to “Node 2”. It boasts good anti-meteor protection, a unique apparatus for studying the physics of liquids, as well as a European physiological module (comprehensive medical examination directly on board the station).

Following “Columbus” will be the Japanese laboratory “Kibo” (“Hope”) - its launch is scheduled for September 2007. It is interesting in that it has its own mechanical manipulator, as well as a closed “terrace” where experiments can be carried out in outer space. without actually leaving the ship.

The third connecting module - “Node 3” is scheduled to go to the ISS in May 2008. In July 2009, it is planned to launch a unique rotating centrifuge module CAM (Centrifuge Accommodations Module), on board of which artificial gravity will be created in the range from 0.01 to 2 g. It is designed mainly for scientific research - the permanent residence of astronauts in the conditions of earth's gravity, so often described by science fiction writers, is not provided for.

In March 2009, “Cupola” (“Dome”) will fly to the ISS - an Italian development, which, as its name suggests, is an armored observation dome for visual control of the station’s manipulators. For safety, the windows will be equipped with external shutters to protect against meteorites.

The last module delivered to the ISS by American shuttles will be the “Science and Power Platform” - a massive block of solar batteries on an openwork metal truss. It will provide the station with the energy necessary for the normal functioning of the new modules. It will also feature an ERA mechanical arm.

Launches on Protons

Russian Proton rockets are expected to carry three large modules to the ISS. So far, only a very rough flight schedule is known. Thus, in 2007 it is planned to add to the station our spare functional cargo block (FGB-2 - Zarya’s twin), which will be turned into a multifunctional laboratory.

In the same year, the European robotic arm ERA should be deployed by Proton. And finally, in 2009 it will be necessary to put into operation a Russian research module, functionally similar to the American “Destiny”.

This is interesting

Space stations are frequent guests in science fiction. The two most famous are “Babylon 5” from the television series of the same name and “Deep Space 9” from the “Star Trek” series. The textbook appearance of a space station in SF was created by director Stanley Kubrick. His film “2001: A Space Odyssey” (script and book by Arthur C. Clarke) showed a large ring station rotating on its axis and thus creating artificial gravity. The longest stay of a person on the space station is 437.7 days. The record was set by Valery Polyakov at the Mir station in 1994-1995. The Soviet Salyut station was originally supposed to bear the name Zarya, but it was left for the next similar project, which eventually became the ISS functional cargo block. During one of the expeditions to the ISS, a tradition arose of hanging three bills on the wall of the habitable module - 50 rubles, a dollar and a euro. For good luck. The first space marriage in the history of mankind took place on the ISS - on August 10, 2003, cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, while on board the station (it flew over New Zealand), married Ekaterina Dmitrieva (the bride was on Earth, in the USA).

* * *

The ISS is the largest, most expensive and long-term space project in the history of mankind. While the station has not yet been completed, its cost can only be estimated approximately - over 100 billion dollars. Criticism of the ISS most often boils down to the fact that with this money it is possible to carry out hundreds of unmanned scientific expeditions to the planets of the solar system.

There is some truth to such accusations. However, this is a very limited approach. Firstly, it does not take into account the potential profit from the development of new technologies when creating each new module of the ISS - and its instruments are truly at the forefront of science. Their modifications can be used in everyday life and can bring enormous income.

We must not forget that thanks to the ISS program, humanity has the opportunity to preserve and increase all the precious technologies and skills of manned space flights that were obtained in the second half of the 20th century at an incredible price. In the “space race” of the USSR and the USA, a lot of money was spent, many people died - all this may be in vain if we stop moving in the same direction.

The International Space Station (ISS) is a large-scale and, perhaps, the most complex technical project in its organization in the entire history of mankind. Every day, hundreds of specialists around the world work to ensure that the ISS can fully fulfill its main function - to be a scientific platform for studying the boundless space and, of course, our planet.

When you watch the news about the ISS, many questions arise regarding how the space station can generally operate in extreme conditions of space, how it flies in orbit and does not fall, how people can live in it without suffering from high temperatures and solar radiation.

Having studied this topic and collected all the information together, I must admit that instead of answers I received even more questions.

At what altitude does the ISS fly?

The ISS flies in the thermosphere at an altitude of approximately 400 km from the Earth (for information, the distance from the Earth to the Moon is approximately 370 thousand km). The thermosphere itself is an atmospheric layer, which, in fact, is not yet quite space. This layer extends from the Earth to a distance of 80 km to 800 km.

The peculiarity of the thermosphere is that the temperature increases with height and can fluctuate significantly. Above 500 km, the level of solar radiation increases, which can easily damage equipment and negatively affect the health of astronauts. Therefore, the ISS does not rise above 400 km.

This is what the ISS looks like from Earth

What is the temperature outside the ISS?

There is very little information on this topic. Different sources say differently. They say that at a level of 150 km the temperature can reach 220-240°, and at a level of 200 km more than 500°. Above that, the temperature continues to rise and at the level of 500-600 km it supposedly already exceeds 1500°.

According to the cosmonauts themselves, at an altitude of 400 km, at which the ISS flies, the temperature is constantly changing depending on the light and shadow conditions. When the ISS is in the shade, the temperature outside drops to -150°, and if it is in direct sunlight, the temperature rises to +150°. And it’s not even a steam room in a bathhouse anymore! How can astronauts even be in outer space at such temperatures? Is it really a super thermal suit that saves them?

An astronaut's work in outer space at +150°

What is the temperature inside the ISS?

In contrast to the temperature outside, inside the ISS it is possible to maintain a stable temperature suitable for human life - approximately +23°. Moreover, how this is done is completely unclear. If it is, for example, +150° outside, how can you cool the temperature inside the station or vice versa and constantly keep it normal?

How does radiation affect astronauts on the ISS?

At an altitude of 400 km, background radiation is hundreds of times higher than on Earth. Therefore, astronauts on the ISS, when they find themselves on the sunny side, receive radiation levels that are several times higher than the dose received, for example, from a chest x-ray. And during moments of powerful solar flares, station workers can take a dose 50 times higher than the norm. How they manage to work in such conditions for a long time also remains a mystery.

How does space dust and debris affect the ISS?

According to NASA, there are about 500 thousand large debris in low-Earth orbit (parts of spent stages or other parts of spaceships and rockets) and it is still unknown how much similar small debris. All this “good” rotates around the Earth at a speed of 28 thousand km/h and for some reason is not attracted to the Earth.

In addition, there is cosmic dust - these are all kinds of meteorite fragments or micrometeorites that are constantly attracted by the planet. Moreover, even if a speck of dust weighs only 1 gram, it turns into an armor-piercing projectile capable of making a hole in the station.

They say that if such objects approach the ISS, the astronauts change the course of the station. But small debris or dust cannot be tracked, so it turns out that the ISS is constantly exposed to great danger. How the astronauts cope with this is again unclear. It turns out that every day they greatly risk their lives.

The hole in the shuttle Endeavor STS-118 from space debris looks like a bullet hole

Why doesn't the ISS fall?

Various sources write that the ISS does not fall due to the weak gravity of the Earth and the station’s escape velocity. That is, rotating around the Earth at a speed of 7.6 km/s (for information, the period of revolution of the ISS around the Earth is only 92 minutes 37 seconds), the ISS seems to constantly miss and does not fall. In addition, the ISS has engines that allow it to constantly adjust the position of the 400-ton colossus.

> 10 facts you didn't know about the ISS

The most interesting facts about the ISS(International Space Station) with photo: life of astronauts, you can see the ISS from Earth, crew members, gravity, batteries.

The International Space Station (ISS) is one of the greatest technological achievements of all mankind in history. The space agencies of the USA, Europe, Russia, Canada and Japan have united in the name of science and education. It is a symbol of technological excellence and demonstrates how much we can achieve when we collaborate. Below are 10 facts you may have never heard about the ISS.

1. The ISS celebrated its 10th anniversary of continuous human operation on November 2, 2010. Since the first expedition (October 31, 2000) and docking (November 2), the station was visited by 196 people from eight countries.

2. The ISS can be seen from Earth without the use of technology and is the largest artificial satellite ever to orbit our planet.

3. Since the first Zarya module, launched at 1:40 a.m. Eastern Time on November 20, 1998, the ISS has completed 68,519 orbits around the Earth. Her odometer shows 1.7 billion miles (2.7 billion km).

4. As of November 2, 103 launches were made to the cosmodrome: 67 Russian vehicles, 34 shuttles, one European and one Japanese ship. 150 spacewalks were made to assemble the station and maintain its operation, which took more than 944 hours.

5. The ISS is controlled by a crew of 6 astronauts and cosmonauts. At the same time, the station program has ensured the continuous presence of man in space since the launch of the first expedition on October 31, 2000, which is approximately 10 years and 105 days. Thus, the program maintained the current record, beating the previous mark of 3,664 days set aboard Mir.

6. The ISS serves as a research laboratory equipped with microgravity conditions, in which the crew conducts experiments in the fields of biology, medicine, physics, chemistry and physiology, as well as astronomical and meteorological observations.

7. The station is equipped with huge solar panels that span the size of a US football field, including end zones, and weigh 827,794 pounds (275,481 kg). The complex has a habitable room (like a five-bedroom house) equipped with two bathrooms and a gym.

8. 3 million lines of software code on Earth support 1.8 million lines of flight code.

9. A 55-foot robotic arm can lift 220,000 feet of weight. For comparison, this is what the orbital shuttle weighs.

10. Acres of solar panels provide 75-90 kilowatts of power for the ISS.