International Space Station Essay

Since the beginning of early times, humans have always had a great fascination with space. The invention of the telescope helped to see the stars, but in order to conduct real research, we had to wait until the invention of the rocket. Humans were finally able to enter space by the 1900s, due to the invention of the rocket, but rockets were only used to visit and leave. Scientists wanted a more permanent station to conduct experiments that could only be done in space. NASA engineers solved this problem with the addition of the The International Space Station, also known as the ISS. With support coming from nearly every corner of the world, the ISS has become a recognizable object worldwide, representing astronomy and space research.

The station weighs well over 462 tons. To put that in perspective, this is about the weight of 320 standard-sized sports cars. The distant ISS was so large and heavy, it had to be taken up by rockets, one piece at a time. The space station resides 220 miles away from the outer layer of Earth’s surface, and travels at a stable rate of 17,500 miles per hour (28,163 kilometers per hour). This is much, much faster than the fastest race car could ever go! As the ISS travels around the planet, Earth rotates with it, which is why the ISS circles the Earth so many times every

Several new pieces of technology have been brought up in the ISS. Canadians have studied neurosurgical medical technology in the ISS, which has produced the NeuroArm, a tool for removing tumors from the body and performing other forms of neurosurgery. This device originated from the mechanical arms aboard the International Space Station. Another contribution due to research comes from Mexico. The astronauts used a certain water purification system to enable them to drink uncontaminated water. This system is used in some rural parts of Mexico, where fresh water is uncommon. This system has helped poor communities live longer and healthier, without the fear of water