The International Space Station is as large as a football field and orbits Earth every 90 minutes.

The International Space Station (ISS) measures approximately 357 feet end-to-end, which is nearly the length of an American football field including the end zones. It maintains an orbital altitude between 205 and 270 miles above Earth. To remain in orbit and counteract gravity, it must maintain a consistent speed of roughly 4.76 miles per second or 17,130 mph. Construction of the ISS began in 1998 with the launch of the Russian Zarya module. Since the arrival of Expedition 1 on November 2, 2000, the station has been continuously occupied by humans. This international collaboration involves five space agencies: NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). Because the station travels so fast, it completes one full revolution around the planet in about 92.68 minutes. This rapid pace results in the crew experiencing a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes. Over a standard 24-hour period, the astronauts witness the sun rise and set 16 times each. The ISS serves as a critical laboratory for microgravity research that cannot be performed on Earth. Scientists use the facility to study biology, physics, and astronomy in a weightless environment. These studies help researchers understand the long-term effects of space travel on the human body, which is vital for future missions to Mars.