How the International Space Station has changed our lives
Technology
The International Space Station (ISS) is set to retire in 2030, ending more than 25 years of humans living and working together in space.
Since its launch, the ISS has been a symbol of teamwork—mainly between the US and Russia—and has helped push science forward through global collaboration.
NASA's plan for post-ISS era
NASA has picked SpaceX to safely guide the ISS back to Earth for a precise re-entry over the Pacific, where it will break up.
After that, China's Tiangong will be the only space station still orbiting.
The US is now looking to private companies like Blue Origin and Axiom Space to build new stations, marking a shift toward commercial space projects while keeping science and international cooperation at the center.