International Space Station marks 25year milestone. What to know about iconic outpost Eric Lagatta, USA TODAYNovember 2, 2025 at 7:05 AM 0 Twentyfive years ago, humanity found a longterm home among the stars aboard the International Space Station. On Nov. 2, 2000, a trailblazing group of three spacefarers, including one NASA astronaut, arrived at the iconic orbital outpost as members of Expedition 1. Now, for a quarter of a century, not a day has gone by that a human has not been in space. That means 25 years of humans completing science experiments tailored for microgravity.
- - International Space Station marks 25-year milestone. What to know about iconic outpost
Eric Lagatta, USA TODAYNovember 2, 2025 at 7:05 AM
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Twenty-five years ago, humanity found a long-term home among the stars aboard the International Space Station.
On Nov. 2, 2000, a trailblazing group of three spacefarers, including one NASA astronaut, arrived at the iconic orbital outpost as members of Expedition 1. Now, for a quarter of a century, not a day has gone by that a human has not been in space.
That means 25 years of humans completing science experiments tailored for microgravity.
Twenty-five years of an uninterrupted glimpse into Earth's cosmic neighborhood made possible only by a station orbiting about 260 miles high.
And 25 years of astronauts from all over the world living and working together to pave the way for future space exploration.
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To mark the significant 25-year anniversary, here's everything to know about the International Space Station.
What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, typically about 260 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
More than 280 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 170 from the United States alone, according to NASA.
How big is the International Space Station?
About 356 feet long, the station is bigger than a six-bedroom house and has six sleeping quarters, two bathrooms, a gym and a 360-degree view bay window.
The space station also has enough docks for up to eight spacecraft to be docked at one time.
Space station marks 25 years of humans on board
As of November 2025, the International Space Station has reached a significant quarter-century milestone.
Though the first module for the ISS was launched in 1998, it wasn't occupied until two years later. Since the Nov. 2, 2000, arrival of the Expedition 1 crew, the orbital laboratory has had humans on board for 25 years.
That trailblazing mission was comprised of one American and two Russians, William Shepherd, Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev.
After launching Oct. 31, 2000, the three-man crew of Expedition 1 lived at the ISS for almost five months before they returned and landed March 21, 2001, back on Earth.
NASA astronaut William Shepherd, commander of the maiden Expedition 1 crew on the International Space Station, is flanked by Russian flight engineers Sergei Krikalev (left) and Yuri Gidzenko (right.) The crew photo was taken during training in Russia in front of a rendition of the International Space Station.How many astronauts are on the ISS now?
Seven people are living aboard the International Space Station.
That includes four astronauts who are part of a joint NASA and SpaceX mission known as Crew-11: NASA astronaut Zena Cardman; NASA astronaut Mike Fincke; Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); and Russian Oleg Platonov, a Roscosmos cosmonaut.
Crew-11 launched Aug. 1 from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida, as the spacefarers made their venture to space aboard a Dragon capsule that was propelled into orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Also aboard the station is NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who reached the ISS in April with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky on a Soyuz capsule launching from Kazakhstan.
Together, the international group of spacefarers are part of Expedition 73.
1 / 12NASA's next astronauts could head to moon, Mars. Photos of new class of recruitsNASA announced its 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class on Sept. 22, 2025. The 10 candidates, pictured here at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston are: U.S. Army CW3 Ben Bailey, U.S. Air Force Maj. Cameron Jones, Katherine Spies, Anna Menon, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash, U.S. Air Force Maj. Adam Fuhrmann, Dr. Lauren Edgar, Yuri Kubo, Rebecca Lawler, and Dr. Imelda Muller.What astronauts hold station records?
Several astronauts who have been to the International Space Station hold significant records from their time in orbit.
Frank Rubio, for instance, has spent more consecutive days in space than any other NASA astronaut. Rubio was at the station for 371 days in 2022-23 after the Russian Soyuz capsule he took to the station encountered issues, and a replacement had to be sent up.
Retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who now works in the private industry for Axiom Space, has spent more cumulative days in space than any other American. Whitson spent 695 total days in space during five trips to the ISS, the two most recent of which were with Axiom Space.
Veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson enters the International Space Station on May 22, 2023, when she last visited the orbital outpost as commander of Axiom Mission 2, the second private mission from Axiom Space.
Astronaut Suni Williams, who flew to the station in June 2024 with astronaut Butch Wilmore on the infamous Boeing Starliner, holds a record of her own.
Earlier in 2025, Suni Williams surpassed Whitson's record for the most total time any woman has spent on spacewalks. After completing the ninth spacewalk of her career at the end of January, Williams has now spent 62 hours and 6 minutes suited up in the vacuum of space.
How many years does the ISS have left? NASA plans to retire outpost
The International Space Station is an incredible spacefaring achievement that has been in orbit longer than other outpost of its kind.
But it won't remain operational forever.
Even now, plans are underway to determine how best to retire and deorbit the aging laboratory – which has been marred by air leaks and other issues – likely around 2030.
The station's successor will come from the private industry, as several companies are working on designs for next-generation space outposts.
Contributing: Brooke Edwards, FLORIDA TODAY
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: International Space Station marks 25-year anniversary. Facts to know
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