ISS Virtual Tour

International Space Station Interactive Reference Guide
Interactive Reference Guide

Take a virtual tour of the orbital outpost.

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Space Station Tracking

International Space Station
NASA SkyWatch

Find out when the ISS is over your city, or track where it is right now.

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Library

ESMD speeches
Speeches, Reports and Committees

Find reports and materials from committees, conferences, workshops and forums.

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Human Exploration and Operations at NASA

    Mission Specialist Steve Bowen performs a spacewalkThe Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate provides the Agency with leadership and management of NASA space operations related to human exploration in and beyond low Earth orbit. HEO also oversees low-level requirements development, policy, and programmatic oversight. The International Space Station, currently orbiting the Earth with a crew of six, represents the NASA exploration activities in low Earth orbit.

    Exploration activities beyond low Earth orbit include the management of Commercial Space Transportation, Exploration Systems Development, Human Space Flight Capabilities, Advanced Exploration Systems, and Space Life Sciences Research & Applications.

    The directorate is similarly responsible for Agency leadership and management of NASA space operations related to Launch Services, Space Transportation, and Space Communications in support of both human and robotic exploration programs.

Related Content

  • NASA's Spot the Station service sends you an email or text message a few hours before the space station passes over your house.

    Spot The Station  →

    NASA's Spot The Station service sends an email or text message a few hours before an ISS sighting opportunity near you.

  • LAUNCH.org

    LAUNCH: Beyond Waste  →

    NASA, USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and NIKE, Inc. have partnered on a unique initiative called LAUNCH. The LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Challenge goes live on April 1, 2012.

  • One of the areas the International Space Station Benefits for Humanity website will highlight is Earth observations. (NASA)

    A New Website Sharing Space Station Benefits

    When the Space Station was first imagined, the idea was to create a research platform for the benefit of all humankind. That goal is now a reality.

  • Image showing content from the 2012 Human Exploration and Operations Goals document.

    2012 Human Exploration & Operations Goals

    The directorate has identified its 2012 strategic goals that are key to building the capabilities to send humans deeper into space than ever before and maintain leadership for existing human space operations.

  • Image of the root

    Concept Maps Show Why We Explore

    Why do we explore space? This Concept Map provides a multimedia collection of content which aims to provide rationale for continued human space exploration. Start at the top and navigate through the different destinations to learn about the benefits of space exploration.

  • Fragile Oasis logo

    Fragile Oasis  →

    The Fragile Oasis community was established to unite crewmembers on our Spaceship Earth in the common goal of sharing our humanity and improving our world.

  • Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) Risk Management Case Study

    Risk Management Case Study: Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART)

    This case study explores the history of the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) mission and examines how changes in risk posture and management expectations created unique challenges.

 

Who's on the Station Now?

 

Shuttle Retirement

  • Space shuttle Atlantis is towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF).

    Space Shuttle Transition

    After 30 years of spaceflight, more than 130 missions, and numerous science and technology firsts, NASA's space shuttle fleet will retire and be on display at institutions across the country to inspire the next generation of explorers and engineers.