A sneak peek into NASA's ISS tour marking 25 years: See the ISS from inside

The year 2025 on Wednesday (December 17) marked 25 years since the outset of human presence aboard the International Space Station (ISS), and NASA has released a celebratory video tour showcasing this engineering marvel.

NASA has shared a 15-minute tour of the ISS, presented by astronauts Nicole Mann and Kjell Lindgren. It was recorded in 2022 during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 and Crew-5 missions.

Tour of International Space Station (ISS)

As the camera navigates through the ISS in microgravity, insights are provided into each section of the multi-modular facility.

The ISS completes a full orbit every 90 minutes as it orbits Earth at approximately 250 miles. This allows astronauts to behold 16 sunrises and sunsets daily.

How big is ISS?

NASA describes the ISS as “larger than a six-bedroom house,” measuring 357 feet (108 meters) long. This amounts to the size of an American football field.

Inside ISS, there are six sleeping quarters, three bathrooms, a gym, and various research facilities. Astronauts typically stay aboard for about six months, conducting scientific research while rejoicing in breathtaking views of Earth.

Usually, an ISS crew consists of six members from various countries, including the U.S., Russia, Europe, and Japan, with recent additions from private missions.

Although no death incidents have occurred on the ISS, there have been a few close calls, such as a 2021 incident involving space debris.

With the ISS expected to cease operations around 2030 due to outdated infrastructure and high maintenance costs, NASA is collaborating with private firms to develop new space stations to maintain human presence in low-Earth orbit.