Crew in Space

The International Space Station maintains a continuous human presence through carefully coordinated crew rotations managed by NASA, Roscosmos, and partner agencies. Standard crew expeditions last approximately six months, though some astronauts have completed extended missions of up to one year to study the long-term effects of microgravity on the human body. Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko completed a record 340-day mission in 2015-2016, providing critical data for planning future deep-space missions to Mars.

Crew members reach the ISS aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon capsules and Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Each Crew Dragon mission typically carries four astronauts, while Soyuz missions carry three cosmonauts or astronauts. During handover periods when an arriving crew overlaps with a departing crew, the station can temporarily house up to 13 people. The station has been continuously occupied since November 2, 2000, making it the longest uninterrupted human presence in space, spanning more than 25 years.

While aboard the ISS, crew members follow a rigorous daily schedule that includes approximately 6.5 hours of scientific research, 2.5 hours of mandatory exercise to counteract bone and muscle loss in microgravity, and time for station maintenance, meals, and personal activities. Astronauts also conduct spacewalks (extravehicular activities) to install new equipment, replace components, and perform repairs on the station exterior.

Data is sourced from the Open Notify API and updated hourly.