ISSstä

ISSstä refers to the International Space Station. It is a modular space station in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). The station serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which scientific research is conducted. It is the largest artificial object in space and can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.

The first component of the ISS was launched in 1998. Since November 2, 2000, the ISS has been continuously occupied. It has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from numerous countries. The station has a substantial internal volume, comparable to the volume of a five-bedroom house. It orbits the Earth approximately every 90 minutes, completing 16 orbits per day. This rapid orbit allows for many sunrises and sunsets to be observed daily from space.

The ISS is utilized for a wide range of scientific disciplines, including astrophysics, biology, astronomy, materials science, meteorology, and physics. Its unique environment allows researchers to study phenomena that are impossible to replicate on Earth. The station is also a crucial testbed for technologies and operational procedures required for future long-duration space missions, such as those to the Moon and Mars. Funding and operation of the ISS are a significant international undertaking, reflecting a global commitment to space exploration and scientific advancement.