2.  The International Space Station (ISS) is a space
station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low
Earth orbit. It is a modular structure which was
initiated in 1985, with the first component
launched into orbit in 1998. Now the largest
artificial body in orbit, it can often be seen with
the naked eye from Earth. The ISS consists of
pressurised modules, external trusses, solar
arrays and other components. ISS components
have been launched by American Space
Shuttles as well as Russian Proton
and Soyuz rockets.

3.  The ISS serves as
a microgravity and space
environment research
laboratory in which crew
members conduct experiments
in biology, human
biology, physics, astronomy,
meteorology and other
fields. The station is suited for
the testing of spacecraft
systems and equipment
required for missions to the
Moon and Mars

4.  The ISS maintains an
orbit with an
altitude of between 330
and 435 km (205 and
270 miles) by means of
reboost manoeuvres
using the engines of
the Zvezda module or
visiting spacecraft. It
completes 15.54 orbits
per day

5.  ISS is the ninth space station to be inhabited by
crews, following the Soviet and later
Russian Salyut, Almaz, and Mir stations as well
as Skylab from the US. The station has been
continuously occupied for 14 years and
200 days since the arrival of Expedition 1 on
2nd November 2000. This is the longest
continuous human presence in space, having
surpassed the previous record of 9 years and
357 days held by Mir.

6.  The station is serviced by
a variety of visiting
spacecraft: Soyuz, Progre
ss, the Automated
Transfer Vehicle, the H-II
Transfer Vehicle, Dragon,
and Cygnus. It has been
visited by astronauts and
cosmonauts from 15
different nations.

7.  After the US Space Shuttle program ended in
2011, Soyuz rockets became the only provider
of transport for astronauts at the International
Space Station, and Dragon became the only
provider of bulk cargo-return-to-Earth services
(downmass capability of Soyuz capsules is very
limited).

8.  The ISS programme is a joint
project among five
participating space
agencies: NASA, Roscosmos
, JAXA, ESA, and CSA. The
ownership and use of the
space station is established
by intergovernmental
treaties and agreements.

9.  The station is divided into two sections,
the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS) and
the United States Orbital Segment (USOS),
which is shared by many nations. As of
January 2014, the American portion of ISS was
funded until 2024. Roscosmos has endorsed the
continued operation of ISS through 2024,but
have proposed using elements of the Russian
Orbital Segment to construct a new Russian
space station called OPSEK.

10.  On March 28, 2015, Russian sources announced
that Roscosmos and NASA had agreed to
collaborate on the development of a
replacement for the current ISS. NASA later
issued a guarded statement expressing thanks
for Russia's interest in future cooperation in
space exploration, but fell short of confirming
the Russian announcement.

11.  Produced by: Şeican Luciana
Lăncrănjan Georgiana
Vlad Alina
IX G, stiinte sociale
Colegiul National “Horea, Closca si Crisan” alba Iulia

12.  ro.wikipedia.org