The International Space Station , a giant research facility orbiting the Earth, is perhaps the most complex construction project in history. Sixteen countries are building the station, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Brazil, and eleven European nations. While the station won’t be complete until 2006, researchers around the world already use its unique facilities for developing space-travel technology, observing environmental processes on earth, investigating human diseases, and much more. Hear Exploratorium staff interview ISS astronauts about life on the ISS .

Radiation in Space
The space station is fueling a boom in the amount of time people spend in space. This increase has prompted scientists to step up research on the potentially adverse effects of extended space habitation. One critical area of this research is an investigation of the high levels of radiation in space and their potentially adverse impacts on humans. (Above image is based on an artist's conception-NASA Website)