Living and Working in Space
The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique laboratory—a proving ground for new technologies that supports scientific research not possible on Earth. Orbiting 250 miles above the Earth at a speed of five miles per second, it sees a sunrise every 90 minutes.
The unique environment of the ISS features microgravity—or weightlessness—exposure to extreme heat and cold, the vacuum of space, and high energy radiation. In these extreme conditions, crew members conduct research in many disciplines to advance scientific knowledge in Earth, space, physical, and biological sciences for the benefit of people living on our home planet.
The space station is the springboard to NASA's next great leap in exploration, and it is helping with human and robotic exploration of destinations beyond low-Earth orbit, including asteroids and Mars. It is also a space station in which an international crew of six astronauts live and work—providing a blueprint for global cooperation. Since November 2000, more than 200 people from 15 countries have visited.
This collection includes videos and digital media that have been selected to help educators seeking to bring the stories of human space exploration and its early history into your classroom instruction.