The ISS Celebrates 25 Years Of Human Space Adventures

The occupation of the International Space Station is Officially 25 years old as of this last weekend. One of the few endeavors in this modern age that seemed at least to unite adversaries (Russia and the USA) with a common goal, to live in and do research in outer space. 

According to usatoday.com,
‘Twenty-five years ago, humanity found a long-term home among the stars aboard the International Space Station.
On Nov. 2, 2000, a trailblazing group of three spacefarers, including one NASA astronaut, arrived at the iconic orbital outpost as members of Expedition 1. Now, for a quarter of a century, not a day has gone by that a human has not been in space.
That means 25 years of humans completing science experiments tailored for microgravity.' 

Although the Boeing Company, at the time based in Seattle, was responsible for much of the design and manufacture of the USA modules for the International Space Station none of those modules were actually manufactured in Washington state. Which makes me a little sad because I would love to think about that as part of Washington residing in the International Space Station. 

Certainly, the International Space Station was not the beginning of space junk in orbit around the Earth, but it certainly ushered in a new era of space junk in orbit, and when it's time to retire the International Space Station it will be very interesting to see what they decide to do with that big lump of metal. 

Do we let it de-orbit and crash into the ocean? Do we push it out of orbit so it can crash into, I don't know, the moon or maybe the sun? I think it should crash into the sun.  

Think of it as a Viking burial for space junk. 

One of the most intriguing and ridiculous things that occurred at the International Space Station was when some Yahoo decided to ship a gorilla costume up to the ISS. Then astronaut Scott Kelly got into it and then terrorized the astronauts. This is what passes for a joke in space. 

The best part, yes, there is video. 

Think of the International Space Station as an upscale condo in New York. (It would cost about the same to own, OK, not really) it's approximately 356 feet long. It has 6 sleeping quarters, 2 bathrooms, A gym, A 360° Bay window, and the space equivalent of a really big parking lot with enough docks for up to 8 spacecraft. 

At that time, you could consider it the pinnacle of man's achievement in outer space. 

Sometime next year, that's going to change as we embark on private companies sending up the first privately owned space habitats. Can space tourism be far behind?
International Space Station marks 25-year anniversary. Facts to know
Boeing and the International Space Station | Defense Media Network