Skip to main content

Get to Know the International Space Station

QUIZ YOURSELF AND OTHERS WITH FUN FACTS

The International Space Station (ISS) continues to be a wonder. Its orbit takes it over 90% of the Earth’s population and it has been continually occupied since November 2000. For more fun facts visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/facts-and-figures to find out such things as how many millions of lines of computer code keep it running and how many nationalities of astronauts have served.

 

TAKE AN INTERACTIVE TOUR OF THE ISS

With this google link, you may use your mouse or cursor to pan, tilt, rotate, and explore the interior of the craft.

https://www.google.com/maps/space/iss/@29.5602853,-95.0853914,2a,90y,227.34h,97.49t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1szChzPIAn4RIAAAQvxgbyEg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DzChzPIAn4RIAAAQvxgbyEg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D202.74104%26pitch%3D-15.191013%26thumbfov%3D100!7i10000!8i5000

 

WATCH EVERYTHING ABOUT LIVING IN SPACE and related videos

Of course, there are YouTube videos! Here’s a great place to start:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=27&v=ouDKD9G9jOE&feature=emb_logo

 

THEN MAKE A DATE TO GO OUTSIDE AND WATCH THE ISS FLY OVERHEAD

It is very easy to see on a clear night if you know when and where to look! The main page is here: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/home.cfm where you may access sightings for any location, sign up for alerts, track the station live, and have your FAQs answered. Nashville sightings are here: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_States&region=Tennessee&city=Nashville

 

Another great site to refer to is Heavens-Above.com. Set it to your location and date, then click on the blue date text to bring up an easy-to-use map of the flyover. Here is a link to Nashville sightings–which you may need to toggle to the current date: https://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=36.1627&lng=-86.7816&loc=Nashville&alt=0&tz=CST