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Space stations
News and explainers on the ISS and China's Tiangong: crew rotations, how fast and how high they fly, and the plan to retire the ISS.
Top stories
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When will the ISS be retired? Deorbit plan and what's next
NASA plans to retire the ISS after September 30, 2030, when operations end. A SpaceX-built vehicle then steers it into the South Pacific in about 2031.
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Where is China's Tiangong space station? Orbit and crew
China's Tiangong space station orbits about 386 km up on a 41.5° tilt, so it stays between 41.5° N and S. Who's aboard, its size, and where you can see it.
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How fast does the ISS travel? Speed, altitude and orbit
How fast does the ISS travel? About 17,100 mph (7.66 km/s), circling Earth every 93 minutes 420 km up. Why it sinks, and how it gets pushed back up.
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ISS crew swap: Crew-13 sets U.S. record, Crew-12 lands
Crew-13 reached the ISS 7 hours 55 minutes after launch on October 1, a U.S. record. Crew-12 splashed down October 8, and CRS-35 is due October 13.
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