The International Space Station (ISS) stands as one of humanity’s most extraordinary achievements, representing the pinnacle of international cooperation and engineering prowess. Launched in 1998, its first crew—a team of one American and two Russians—entered the orbiting laboratory in 2000. As of November 2, 2025, the ISS marks 25 years of continuous human presence, hosting between two to thirteen astronauts at any given time.
This milestone underscores the station’s role as a unique collaborative effort that has endured through geopolitical shifts and technological challenges. Over 290 individuals from 26 countries have visited the ISS, contributing to a collective 127 person-years of experience in space. Notably, more than 40% of all humans who have been to space have spent time aboard the ISS, making it a central hub for scientific and cultural exchange.
Scientific Endeavors and Space Tourism
The ISS has been a focal point for thousands of scientific and engineering studies, facilitated by nearly 200 distinct scientific facilities. Research conducted on the station spans a wide array of disciplines, from astronomy and physics to biology and environmental science. These studies have provided invaluable insights into phenomena such as crew health and plant growth in microgravity.
The station also played a pivotal role in the birth of space tourism, offering a glimpse into the future of commercial space travel. As private companies vie to develop the next generation of space habitats, the lessons learned from the ISS are proving crucial.
Space Archaeology: A New Perspective
Coinciding with the ISS’s 25th anniversary, November 2025 also marks a decade of the International Space Station Archaeological Project. This initiative, led by a team of researchers, seeks to explore the social and cultural dimensions of life in space—a largely overlooked aspect of space exploration.
Traditional methods of understanding life aboard the ISS, such as interviews with astronauts, often miss the nuances of daily life. Instead, the project employs archaeological techniques, analyzing the traces of human interaction with the station’s objects and spaces.
“Our research provides an additional window onto life on a space station by using archaeological evidence: the traces of human interactions with the objects and built spaces of the site.”
Innovative Data Collection
Given the logistical challenges of direct observation, the project utilizes thousands of photographs taken by the crew and published by NASA. These images allow researchers to track the movement and interaction of people and objects over time, offering a unique perspective on the station’s dynamic environment.
In 2022, the project conducted the first archaeological fieldwork off Earth, designed by collaborator Alice Gorman. Crew members documented six sample locations across different modules, capturing daily changes over two months. This groundbreaking experiment provided unprecedented insights into the lived experience of astronauts.
Human Behavior and Cultural Insights
The findings reveal that astronauts, much like people on Earth, personalize their environment. They decorate the station’s walls with pictures, memorabilia, and religious items, echoing the way individuals adorn their homes. Despite the regimented nature of life in space, crew members exhibit autonomy, repurposing areas and finding creative solutions to storage challenges.
“Unlike the rest of us, however, they live without much freedom to make choices about their lives. Their days are governed by lengthy procedures overseen by Mission Control.”
Interestingly, the ISS’s international nature is juxtaposed with a highly nationalized structure, where each space agency controls its own modules. This arrangement, while understandable, may not be the most efficient for such a monumental project.
Implications for Future Space Habitats
The project’s latest research tracks the evolution of scientific activities on the ISS, noting an increase in diversity and specialization. These insights are being used by companies developing commercial successors to the ISS, aiming to enhance the experience for future crews.
Archaeological studies of contemporary issues on Earth, such as migration and ecological challenges, demonstrate the broader relevance of this research. By applying these principles to space, the project charts a new course for archaeology, bridging the gap between ancient studies and modern challenges.
The International Space Station Archaeological Project exemplifies the importance of social science research in addressing complex problems, even those that appear purely technical. As humanity looks to the stars, understanding the cultural and social dynamics of space habitation will be crucial for the success of future missions.
