In 1998, NASA, in collaboration with Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), CSA (Canada), and JAXA (Japan), launched the first component of the International Space Station (ISS).

The ISS program evolved from the 1980s Space Station Freedom program. The first long-term residents arrived at the station on November 2nd, 2000. Currently, ISS orbits low Earth orbit and has been continuously occupied for almost 22 years.