Cost of International Space Station countries involved

Till 2024 ISS is the most expensive thing in the world. 5 countries involved with a total budget of US$150 billion. Cost of International Space Station of countries is mentioned today.

Quick points – 5 countries involved in ISS US (NASA), Russia (Roscosmos), Europe (ESA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA). Total cost US$150 billion.

Cost International Space Station countries involved

The International Space Station (ISS) is a station installed in space. ISS is a large Space Station maintained in low earth orbit by 5 space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, CSA and their contractors. ISS construction cost was US$150 billion divided in 5 countries. 

ISS is the largest station in the world ever built. Performing micro gravity and space environment experiments are the primary purposes of the ISS. Space station cost is huge even in India but somehow India manages in very less price than NASA and also launches successful projects from there. Some space research centre in India are ISRO, SAC, VSSC ,RRC and IIRS.

International Space Station countries involved

ISS is maintained in low earth orbit by collaboration of 5 countries’ space agencies: the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada.

Space agencies names Country name

• Nasa Nasa
• Roscosmos Russia
• ESA Europe
• JAXA Japan
• CSA Canada

Technically the station is operated by two sections: Russian orbital segment and US orbital segments.

• Russian orbital segment – Assembled by Ross Cosmos.
• US orbital segments –  assembled by NASA, ESA, JAXA, CSA.

Integrated truss structure (ITS) is the key feature of the ISS connecting the large solar panels and radiators to the pressurized modules. 

Pressurized modules – This module is specialised for research, habitation, storage, spacecraft control and airlock functions.

ISS orbit 

ISS takes a circle of earth in roughly 93 minutes and completes 15.5 orbits per day and maintains orbit with an approximate altitude of 400 kilometres (250 mi). In 1988 the first ISS module was launched. 

Crude earth orbiting stations

To construct crewed earth orbiting stations ISS programme combines two plans on priority:

1. Space Station Freedom planned by the United States.
2. Mir-2 Station planned by the Soviet Union.

Proton, Soyuz rocket and space shuttle launch systems have been used to launch major modules.

Expedition 1 longest continuous human presence in space

Expedition 1 was the 1st long time residence which arrived on 2 november 2000. It is the longest continuous human presence in space and the station has been occupied for 23 years and 104 days. 

Individuals visited space stations

Till the period of December 2023, 273 individuals from 21 countries visited the space station. 

Axiom orbital segment January 2031

It is expected to have additional modules of the ISS before January 2031. A dedicated NASA spacecraft will deorbit the existing module before January 2031 and a new model like axiom orbital segment will be introduced.

ISS is the most expensive in the world

The International space station is considered the most expensive single item in the world ever constructed. Till 2024 ISS is the most costly thing in the world constructed with the budget of US$150 billion.

ISS construction cost 

As of 2010 the total cost of International Space Station construction was US$150 billion.

Total cost US$150 billion

The total cost includes below given budget from different countries:

• NASA $58.7 billion ($89.73 billion in 2021) for the station from 1985 to 2015.
• Russia’s 12 billion.
• Europe’s 5 billion.
• Japan’s 5 billion.
• Canada’s 2 billion. 
• 36 shuttle flights cost estimated at $1.4 billion each or $50.4 billion in total.

The cost is assumed as 20,000 person days of use from 2000 to 2015 by 2 to 6 person crews. Each person’s estimated cost would be $7.5 million. It is less than half the inflation adjusted $19.6 million per person-day of skylab.

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International Space Station modules names