Europe's space future in focus at the International Space Summit
By ESA
Quick Summary
The International Space Summit, taking place in Paris, France, on 9 and 10 September, will bring together world leaders, ministers, industry representatives and astronauts at a pivotal moment for the future of space. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher will invite European leaders to reflect on the role Europe wishes to play in the next era of space exploration and on the level of ambition needed to help shape it.
Space Explainer: The ISS & Life in Orbit
The International Space Station has been continuously staffed since November 2000, making it the longest-running human outpost off Earth. It orbits roughly 400km up, circling the planet every 90 minutes at about 28,000 km/h — meaning the crew sees a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes.
Crew members typically rotate every 5-6 months, arriving and departing on Soyuz or Crew Dragon spacecraft. Their days are tightly scheduled around scientific experiments in microgravity, station maintenance, and roughly 2.5 hours of mandatory daily exercise to counteract the bone and muscle loss that comes from living without gravity.
Track the ISS Crew LiveSource: ESA
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