25 Years in Orbit: International Space Station Marks a Milestone in Human Spaceflight

This week, the International Space Station (ISS) commemorates a remarkable milestone—25 years of uninterrupted human habitation in space. The streak began on November 2, 2000, when NASA’s Bill Shepherd, along with Russian cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko, arrived aboard the station via a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan. Since then, nearly 300 individuals—including astronauts, scientists, space tourists, and even filmmakers—have lived and conducted research aboard the orbiting laboratory.

With the ISS set to retire in 2030, NASA is now looking to private companies to carry forward the legacy of orbital science and expand access to space. The station has orbited Earth over 144,000 times, supporting breakthroughs in medicine, physics, and climate science.

Key highlights:

• Continuous human presence since November 2, 2000  
• Nearly 300 residents from around the world  
• First crew: Bill Shepherd (USA), Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko (Russia)  
• ISS has orbited Earth over 144,000 times  
• NASA plans to deorbit ISS by 2030 and transition to commercial stations  

Sources: Daily Excelsior, US News, PBS NewsHour, Florida Today