For nearly a quarter of a century, a bright moving dot in the night sky has symbolised human endurance. Since November 2000, NASA and its partners have maintained an unbroken human presence in low-Earth orbit. But this historic streak will not last much longer as the International Space Station enters its retirement phase.
What's next for the International Space Station?
The ISS, which was launched in segments starting in 1998, has been a symbol of international cooperation among the United States, Europe, Japan, Canada and Russia. Having hosted astronauts nonstop for 25 years, it is scheduled to be deorbited in 2030 and steered into a desolate region of the Pacific Ocean.
An aerospace engineer who has worked with NASA for 17 years shared that seeing the station end its mission would be emotional. During its existence, the ISS has hosted over 4,000 experiments in materials science, astronomy, biotechnology, combustion and Earth sciences. These studies have led to over 4,400 papers published in science, contributing to enhancements in life on Earth as well as the foundation for further exploration.
What has the ISS added to science?
Experiments on the station have increased knowledge about the behaviour of physical, chemical and biological processes in microgravity. The astronauts have cultured artificial retinas, mapped DNA, optimised cancer drug crystallisation and explored how lightning works from space.
The unique environment of space — low gravity, radiation and temperature extremes — has offered scientists a laboratory unmatched on Earth.
What comes after the ISS era?
NASA is determined to maintain a presence in orbit even after the ISS is retired. In 2021, the agency awarded contracts worth more than 400 million US dollars to companies developing privately owned, commercially operated space stations. These stations are expected to take over as research hubs in low-Earth orbit before 2030.
NASA’s experience with private partnerships, including SpaceX and Boeing for cargo and crew transport, has laid the groundwork for this transition. In September 2025, NASA announced plans for a second phase of partnerships that will fund design reviews and station demonstrations. Selected companies must prove their stations can safely host four astronauts for at least 30 days.
Could commercial stations sustain human presence in orbit?
Once certified, NASA will purchase missions and services aboard these commercial platforms, just as it currently does with ISS transport. The timeline, however, remains uncertain. Meanwhile, China’s Tiangong space station continues operations 402 kilometres above Earth and could soon hold the record for the longest continuous human presence in orbit.
A enduring icon in the evening sky
The ISS continues to orbit Earth at 28,000 kilometres an hour and will continue to do so for a few more years. Meanwhile, sky gazers can still marvel at its brilliant, consistent sweep across the night sky — a beacon of human cooperation and inquiry.
As one commentator noted in The Conversation, the perspective is a reminder of how far human creativity has come. What started as a concept now glows every evening as a product of human fingers and collaborative aspiration.
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