The International Space Station: A Laboratory in the Sky

Construction of the ISS began in 1998 with the launch of its first module, Zarya.
It orbits Earth about 16 times per day at 250 miles altitude.
The ISS is a joint project of NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA.
It is the largest human-made structure in space, visible to the naked eye.
Crews conduct experiments in microgravity across medicine, biology, and physics.
The station has been continuously inhabited since November 2000.
Astronauts from nearly 20 different countries have visited.
It serves as a testbed for technologies needed for Mars missions.
Solar panels the size of a football field power the station.
The ISS symbolizes global cooperation and the future of space exploration.