For every orbit around the Earth, the ISS gets scorched by solar radiation on one side, and freezes on the other. It is used to test future spacecraft technologies and to study health effects of long term spaceflight for the possibility of future human exploration of the solar system.ĭespite onboard research gaining momentum, NASA has noticed signs of infrastructure and components slowing down. The ISS also helps to monitor Earth's ecosystems and natural disasters in real time. Research in the so-called microgravity environment of the ISS has yielded breakthroughs in drug discovery, vaccine development and medical treatments in the last decade. It is visible by the naked eye from Earth while it completes its 16 daily orbits, passing 400km above the Earth's surface. The monumental conglomerate structure now stretches the length of a football field and is the largest human-made object in space. The modules and parts of the ISS have been built progressively by many different countries, only coming into contact for the first time in space. The ISS has enabled one giant leap for science and collaboration across mankind, involving five different space agencies (US, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan). It has already been in operation for 21 years, and NASA has given the go-ahead for one more decade, thereby doubling its total planned time in orbit. Originally commissioned for a 15-year lifespan, the ISS is outliving all expectations.
NASA's plans for the decommissioning operation will culminate in a fiery plunge into the middle of the Pacific Ocean-a location called Point Nemo, also known as the "spacecraft graveyard," the furthest point from all civilisation.įinding Point Nemo will be the final stop in a complex and multi-staged mission to transition the operations of the ISS to new commercial space stations, and to bring the remaining structure safely down to Earth.
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