Celebrating a Quarter-Century of Human Presence in Low Earth Orbit
In 2000, the International Space Station (ISS) began its quiet voyage as humanity’s off-world laboratory. More than two decades later, the ISS remains a cornerstone of international cooperation, scientific discovery, and the enduring curiosity that drives space exploration. PBS, in collaboration with NOVA, marks this milestone with a two-part, in-depth look at the ISS: “Operation Space Station.” The program airs on November 5, 2025, and promises a comprehensive exploration of the station’s history, its evolving research agenda, and the people who keep it aloft in orbit around Earth.
The Two-Part Exploration: What to Expect
Operation Space Station frames the ISS not only as a technical marvel but as a living, international experiment in how nations collaborate under shared scientific goals. The two-part series blends archival footage, expert interviews, and mission data to illuminate how the ISS became a global platform for biology, physics, astronomy, and Earth science. By tracing its design choices, resupply logistics, and long-term sustainability plans, the program reveals how the station has adapted to new crew rotations, evolving research priorities, and a changing landscape of space policy.
Part One: Origins and Evolution
The first installment delves into the ISS’s ambitious genesis. Viewers will learn how five space agencies—NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA—imagined a permanent outpost that would survive the rigors of microgravity and the isolation of space. The episode highlights critical milestones: assembly missions that stitched the station together piece by piece, the development of life-support systems, and the early experiments that proved humans could live and work for extended periods in orbit. The narrative emphasizes not just technology, but the human stories—astronauts and cosmonauts who adapted to a radically different daily rhythm in space.
Part Two: Science in Orbit and a Shared Future
The second half shifts toward scientific breakthroughs enabled by long-duration spaceflight. From studying how microgravity affects biology to monitoring Earth from a unique vantage point, the ISS serves as a testbed for technologies that could reshape life on and off our planet. NOVA outlines how private partnerships, commercial missions, and international collaboration sustain this fragile laboratory in orbit. The episode also looks ahead to planned transitions, including how researchers plan to maximize the ISS’s remaining years while laying groundwork for future habitats beyond low Earth orbit.
Why This Anniversary Matters
The 25-year milestone offers a moment to reflect on the ISS’s broader significance. It is a symbol of international cooperation—unlike most past engineering feats, the station’s ongoing operation depends on diplomacy as much as docking ports and thrusters. The program underscores the station’s multi-disciplinary impact: advancing medical research, enabling climate science from a unique vantage, and training a generation of engineers and scientists who will carry the lessons learned into future exploration programs.
What Audiences Can Take Away
Operation Space Station aims to engage both space enthusiasts and general viewers by presenting complex topics in accessible terms. Expect witness accounts from crew members, a look at day-to-day life aboard a rotating home in space, and a clear explanation of why the ISS remains essential—even as missions to the Moon and Mars take center stage in national space agendas.
How to Watch
The two-part special airs on PBS and NOVA on November 5, 2025. Check local listings for exact times and streaming availability. For viewers who have followed the ISS since its early assembly days, the program offers a reflective, informative journey through a project that has reshaped our understanding of what is possible when nations work together in space.
