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he International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artifcial

satellite, in low Earth orbit. Its frst component launched into orbit in 1998,

and the ISS is now the largest artifcial body in orbit and can oten be seen

with the na!ed eye rom Earth."#$"8$ %he ISS consists o pressurised modules,

e&ternal trusses, solar arrays and other components. ISS components ha'e

been launched by ussian roton and Soyu* roc!ets as well as +mericanSpace Shuttles."9$

%he ISS ser'es as a microgra'ity and space en'ironment research laboratory

in which crew members conduct e&periments in biology, human biology,

physics, astronomy, meteorology and other felds."1$"11$"1-$ %he station is

suited or the testing o spacecrat systems and euipment reuired or

missions to the /oon and /ars."10$ %he ISS maintains an orbit with an

altitude o between 00 and 02 !m (-2 and -# mi) by means o reboost

manoeu'res using the engines o the 3'e*da module or 'isiting spacecrat. Itcompletes 12.2 orbits per day."1$

ISS is the ninth space station to be inhabited by crews, ollowing the So'iet

and later ussian Salyut, +lma*, and /ir stations as well as S!ylab rom the

4S. %he station has been continuously occupied or 1 years and -- days

since the arri'al o E&pedition 1 on - 5o'ember -. %his is the longest

continuous human presence in space, ha'ing surpassed the pre'ious record

o 9 years and 02# days held by /ir. %he station is ser'iced by a 'ariety o

'isiting spacecrat6 Soyu*, rogress, the +utomated %ranser 7ehicle, the II%ranser 7ehicle,"12$ :ragon, and ;ygnus. It has been 'isited by astronauts

and cosmonauts rom 12 di

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until --."19$"-$"-1$ os!osmos has endorsed the continued operation o

ISS through --,"--$ but ha'e proposed using elements o the ussian

Arbital Segment to construct a new ussian space station called ASEB."-0$

An /arch -8, -12, ussian sources announced that oscosmos and 5+S+

had agreed to collaborate on the de'elopment o a replacement or the

current ISS."-$"-2$ 5+S+ later issued a guarded statement e&pressing

than!s or ussiaCs interest in uture cooperation in space e&ploration, but ell

short o confrming the ussian announcement."-=$"-#$