Fun Facts About Our ARISS Event

The International Space Station (ISS) is Earth’s only microgravity laboratory that has allowed more than 3,600 researchers in 106 countries to conduct more than 2,500 experiments— and the research continues. The space station is a symbol of international cooperation that has benefited life back on Earth economically, technologically, scientifically, and educationally.

At dawn or dusk you’ll be able to see the space station with your bare eyes as the third brightest object in the sky. It will also be moving across the sky, similar to an airplane, but without flashing lights. See a Satellite Tonight.

The ISS measures 357 feet or 108 meters from end‐to‐end, which is about the size of an American football field. The space station has a mass of nearly 1 million pounds. When it comes to living in space, the ISS is larger than a six‐bedroom house.

The ISS travels at about 17,500 miles/28,000 kilometers per hour. At this speed, the ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes, which gives the crew 16 sunrises and sunsets every day. The space station orbits Earth at an average altitude of 261 miles/ 420 kilometers above Earth.

There are usually six astronauts aboard the ISS. The average mission length for an astronaut is six months or 182 days, but the amount of time varies based on their mission. Astronaut Scott Kelly holds the record for the longest single spaceflight at 340 days.

An astronaut's primary job while on the space station is to conduct scientific experiments and maintain the space station. When not working, astronauts do a lot of the same things we do on Earth. Astronauts also complete a two‐hour daily exercise program to remain fit. They eat a variety of foods, although some of it has to be rehydrated. When astronauts are ready to sleep, they stay in special sleep bags secured to the walls of their crew quarters. Even bathing or using the toilet is different in space.

Over the years, many activities and research projects have been completed. For example, advances have been made in saliva testing to detect active viruses which allows for faster, less‐invasive testing. Additionally, over 500 microgravity protein crystal‐growth investigations have been conducted. This research helps find better treatments for diseases such as cancer and muscular dystrophy.