The International Space Station’s partners are committed to expanding the work of this unique platform in low Earth orbit, where for more than 22 years humans have lived and worked for the benefit of humanity, conducting advanced scientific research and exploring microgravity conditions. The United States, Japan, Canada and ESA (European Space Agency) member countries have confirmed that they will support the continued operation of the space station until 2030, while Russia will support the continued operation of the station until 2028. NASA will continue to work with its partner agencies to ensure an uninterrupted presence in low Earth orbit and a safe and orderly transition from the space station to commercial platforms in the future.

“The International Space Station is an incredible partnership with the shared goal of advancing science and exploration,” said Robin Gaitens, director of the International Space Station Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Increasing our time on this great platform allows us to leverage over two decades of experimentation and technology demonstrations and continue to make even greater discoveries.”

Since its launch in 1998, the International Space Station has been visited by 266 people from 20 countries. The space station is a unique science platform where crew members conduct experiments in many scientific disciplines, including Earth and space science, biology, human physiology, physical science, and technology demonstrations that cannot be performed on Earth. The crew living at the station is in the hands of thousands of researchers who have conducted more than 3,300 experiments in microgravity on the ground. Now in its third decade of operation, the station is in a decade of performance where the platform can maximize its scientific return. Results are magnified, new benefits are embodied, and innovative research and technology demonstrations build on previous work.

The space station is one of the most complex international collaborations ever attempted. It was designed to be interdependent, relying on contributions from all partners for operation, and currently no partner can operate the space station without the other.