The International Space Station
The international space station (ISS) is a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. It is the latest and largest in a line of previous space stations such as Skylab and Mir.
The ISS is a modular structure and the first module was launched in 1998 and many more modules, trusses, solar arrays and other elements have been added since.
The station is just over 72 m long by just over 108 m wide and 20 m high; it is maintained at an orbital altitude of between 330 km (205 mi) and 410 km (255 mi) it travels at an average speed of 27,724 kilometres (17,227 mi) per hour and completes 15.7 orbits per day.
Orbital boosting when required can be performed by the station’s two main engines on the Zvezda service module, or Russian or European spacecraft docked to Zvezda’s aft port.
The structure is so large and reflective it can often be the brightest object in the sky and can be seen with the naked eye. There is a guide on how to see it coming soon.
Long Exposure photo of a visible ISS pass Credit: Mark Humpage
The ISS components have been launched by American space shuttles as well as a Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, with European space agency automated transport vehicles (ATV) and Japan’s (HTV) operating as supply ships. Soyuz manned spacecraft also serve as lifeboats for emergency evacuation.
Participant nations include the United States of America, Russia, Japan, Canada and 11 member states of the European space agency (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom). Other nations are involved with the project through partnering of some of the nations.
The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory and factory in space, in which crew members conduct experiments in biology, human biology, medicine, physics, astronomy, meteorology and other fields. The station is suited for the testing of prolonged exposure to life in space, spacecraft systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon and Mars and asteroids.
The ISS provides a platform to conduct scientific research that cannot be performed in any other way. While small unmanned spacecraft can provide platforms for zero gravity and exposure to space, space stations offer a long term environment where studies can be performed potentially for decades. There is ready access by human researchers over periods that exceed the capabilities of manned spacecraft.
The ISS is expected to remain in operation until at least 2020, and potentially up to 2028. Decommissioning will involve re-entering the station into the Earth’s atmosphere making it burn up and crash into a non populated area or ocean. Some of the Modules may be removed from the station and used as a foundation for a new type of Space Station.
ISS Insignia
Hi, I’m trying to find dates for July/Aug iss passes but the most prominent link (the first you see when you come to the site) is for a couple of months ago. Takes a bit of digging to find the most up to date pass times. Could I suggest that the most recent/up to date times are displayed first on the website main page? Would help a.lot. Thanks.
Hi,
The most up to date pass times are displayed as the first post on the home page. There aren’t any passes for July/ August. The next set are in September.
Hi
Could you please assist?
Could you let me know the direction and time ISS passed over Essex UK on the 15/09/21
Thank you
Chris
Hi
Could you please assist?
Trying to find out the time ISS passed over Rochford Essex last night? 15th Sept.
And the direction?
Many thanks
Chris
The ISS times aren’t on this page even though it’s link is the most prominent on the home page but on the page you get to by following the (more…) link.
You have to click on the link to open it. See the Read More link
Cant get to the table! Easy once I’m there…
I can’t find the ISS times anywhere HELP!!
Check the table and tap/ click on the date
The site is very accessible. If you are having issues with ads or popups, you can simply X out of them.
When is the iss due to cross guernsey next
When will the station cross Nottingham,england.
Thank you
See times in the current UK ISS pass post on this website
What time is the space stations orbit tonight. I saw it last night at 22.05.
Watched it last night. Wonderful.
What has been discovered on the space station that we now use today on earth?
How does the ISS change course? Is this the responsibility of the crew or ground control? Thanks
It’s a mixture of both ground control and procedures onboard
Does the ISS always have a crew and how do we find out who is in there or what countries have crew aboard?
Yes it does. There are usually 6 crew members onboard from Russia, USA and other countries. You can find out the current mission and who is onboard on the NASA website.
I used to have an alert when the ISS could be viewed from my area in UK. It doesn’t seem to be working.
Hi. This website has never sent out alerts, but if you follow @VirtualAstro on Twitter or Facebook, alerts using the times from this site are posted there.
Unfortunately, some of the alert services from other sources are being retired, but we will keep going on social media.
Will it be flying over U.K. Christmas Eve this year if so what time please
It’s not predicted to pass over the UK Christmas Eve. Passes end shortly before then. The orbit may change so stay posted
hi thanks for all the info ,I have wrote the info in my diary .I really enjoyed watching the space station with my family last night. We are going to watch it again tonight .
She informs me that, and I quote, ‘It’s so tiring being right all the time !!!!!!’
We’ve now seen 3 great passes on 11th, 12th and 13th – and have some shaky iphone video to show for it! Question though – on the 11th, my wife, who is extremely long sighted pointed, out a small point of light which seemed to be trailing the space station – definitely a satellite, what surprised me was that it appeared to be close (1 – 2 x moon diameters) and travelling at the same speed (same orbit?) Could this have been the Progress M-23M that apparently undocked on the 7th and is due to de-orbit over the Pacific 11 days after that? (http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/04/progress-m-23m-fast-launch-to-iss/) It would be incredibly exciting – my wife said, tongue in cheek, that it was probably ‘excess baggage’ – might she have actually been correct?!?
She is correct 🙂
Any news on when iss will be passing over uk tonight? Or other nights in April? Thanks