#AskNASA┃ What is the International Space Station? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The International Space Station (ISS) is a collaborative project built by 15 countries and 5 space agencies to serve as a permanent home in space. It facilitates scientific research and paves the way for future exploration.

Key Insights

• 👾 The ISS was collaboratively built by 15 countries and 5 space agencies, exemplifying international cooperation in space exploration.
• 👨‍🔬 It functions as a permanent home for a crew of six, facilitating various scientific disciplines' research and experimentation.
• 🏋️ The ISS's visibility from Earth makes it accessible to a wide audience, and its size and weight highlight the magnitude of the engineering accomplishment.
• 🌇 The space station's speed enables unique experiences for the crew, with multiple sunrises and sunsets occurring daily.
• 👾 Research conducted on the ISS serves as the foundation for future space missions and aims to understand the complexities of life in space.
• 😘 NASA and commercial partners aim to apply the knowledge gained from the ISS to the development of additional platforms in low Earth orbit.
• 👾 The Gateway, an outpost planned around the Moon, will contribute to lunar exploration and serve as a stepping stone for further space exploration.

Transcript

Hi, I'm Jacob Keaton this is #AskNASA. I'm here to answer your questions about the International Space Station. What is the International Space Station? This is the International Space Station. This is an orbiting outpost that is humanities first permanent home away from home. It was built over the course of a decade by fifteen different countries ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How can I see the International Space Station from Earth?

The ISS is visible with the naked eye and appears as a bright object in the sky. You can use binoculars and check NASA's website SpotTheStation for viewing times. It resembles an airplane but does not flash and is highly luminous.

Q: What is the size and weight of the space station?

The ISS weighs around 900,000 pounds and required over 40 rocket launches to be assembled. Its dimensions are comparable to a football field, including the endzones, and it spans from front to back like a football field to the sidelines.

Q: How fast does the International Space Station move?

The ISS travels at a speed of approximately 17,500 miles per hour, allowing it to complete one orbit around the Earth every 90 minutes. This results in astronauts on board witnessing 16 sunrises and sunsets each day.

Q: What kind of research do astronauts conduct on the space station?

The crew conducts research in numerous scientific fields, including Earth science, space science, microgravity research, biology, and the study of human life in space. They also explore the effects of microgravity on their own bodies and relevant systems for future space missions.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The ISS is an orbiting outpost built by 15 countries and 5 space agencies, providing a permanent home for a crew of six people.

• It comprises various modules, laboratories, and solar arrays, all working together seamlessly due to close collaboration among engineers and teams.

• The ISS runs on Greenwich Mean Time, has Wi-Fi, and orbits the Earth every 90 minutes, enabling astronauts to witness 16 sunrises and sunsets daily.