It’s likely going to be awhile until you can watch the next group of astronauts head to the International Space Station.
NASA and SpaceX have opted to indefinitely delay the launch of a mission known as Crew-13 as teams work to repair the Dragon spacecraft due to transport four astronauts to the orbital outpost.
In the meantime, that means the mission’s crew members will – like the rest of us – have to content themselves with seeing the ISS from hundreds of miles away. Fortunately, the iconic nearly 26-year-old station is a relatively easy fixture to spot in Earth’s orbit.
Because the station orbits Earth once every 90 minutes, the crew on board sees 16 sunrises and sunsets every day. That also means the space station, traveling at dizzying speeds of about 17,500 mph, is routinely visible to spectators on the ground.
Here’s everything to know about the International Space Station, and how to spot it from Earth before the aging outpost is retired and deorbited in the years ahead.
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What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, typically about 260 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world. Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
More than 290 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 173 from the United States alone, according to NASA. While aboard the ISS, astronauts from all over the world not only help keep the aging station operational, but prepare for humans to venture deeper into space.
When to see the space station from Earth
The International Space Station, which completes 16 orbits of Earth per day, is regularly visible to spectators around the globe.
The best time to spot the orbital outpost is within a few hours before or after both sunrise and sunset, according to NASA. That’s because the station reflects sunlight just like the moon, but isn’t bright enough to see during the day.
If you don’t live in the extreme north or south of the world, you may be able to spot the ISS at least once a month – and perhaps even more frequently, according to the Planetary Society.
How can you track the ISS? There’s an app for that
NASA’s “Spot the Station” mobile app allows users to receive notifications for when the International Space Station passes over their respective locations. The app also provides real-time tracking data.
The mobile app is available to download for free in Apple’s App Store for iPhone users and, for Android users, on Google Play.
The European Space Agency has also developed an online tracker you can bookmark on your desktop that shows where the station is at any given time. The tool even shows the station’s path in the previous 90 minutes, as well as its path 90 minutes ahead.
How can you spot the space station in orbit? Do you need binoculars?
Make sure you have an unimpeded view of the sky to catch the ISS passing overhead. The station’s orbit makes it appear as if it is traveling from west to east.
The “Spot the Station” app will tell you exactly where in the sky the ISS will appear and how high in the sky it will be.
No special equipment is needed to spot the station, which can easily be seen with the naked eye. Binoculars and telescopes, though, will provide an enhanced view that could even unveil details like the station’s solar arrays and individual modules, according to the Planetary Society.
How bright is the ISS? What does it look like from Earth?
The International Space Station can under certain conditions be among the brightest objects in the sky – outshined only by the sun and moon. That means it’s even brighter than Venus, the brightest planet in the sky.
This isn’t because the ISS gives off much of its own light, but because – with its array of solar panels – it is exceptional at reflecting sunlight off it, according to the Planetary Society.
If you spot it, the space station should appear as a solid bright light whizzing across the night sky.
What astronauts are on the International Space Station?
Seven astronauts who are part of Expedition 75 are living and working aboard the International Space Station.
That includes four people who are part of the Crew-12 mission that docked in mid-February: NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, as well as the European Space Agency’s Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The Crew-12 contingent are due to depart in September following the arrival of Crew-13.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon arrived in mid-July at the space station with Russians Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina on a Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft for an eight-month mission.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The ISS won’t be around forever. Here’s how to see it from Earth
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