On November 2, 2023, the International Space Station (ISS) quietly crossed a remarkable threshold: 25 years of continuous human presence in space. What began as a bold experiment in international partnership has since become a symbol of both scientific achievement and the extraordinary resilience required to survive in one of the most hostile environments imaginable. As the ISS approaches its twilight years, a new PBS documentary, "Operation Space Station," takes viewers behind the scenes of this orbiting laboratory, highlighting not only its technological marvels but also the very real dangers faced by those who call it home—even if only for a few weeks or months at a time.
The ISS’s story started on November 2, 2000, when Commander Bill Shepherd, accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, arrived aboard Soyuz TM-31. At that moment, the station was little more than a skeleton—a trio of pressurized modules, Zvezda, Zarya, and Unity—operating at about half its intended capacity, according to El-Balad. "Frequent system malfunctions and a lack of power sources hindered operations," Commander Shepherd documented in his mission log, painting a picture of a cramped, sometimes precarious outpost. The crew had to make do with limited amenities, and the quarters, designed for fewer astronauts, forced them into close proximity for every waking—and sleeping—moment.
Despite these early challenges, the ISS rapidly evolved. Over the next decade, a series of Space Shuttle missions delivered vital additions: solar arrays, advanced laboratories, and living modules. By 2011, the station reached its current sprawling configuration. The crew size grew as well, expanding from three to six, and eventually to seven astronauts. These days, crews arrive on both Russian Soyuz spacecraft and SpaceX Crew Dragon capsules, reflecting a new era of public-private collaboration in spaceflight.
But the ISS has never been a place for the faint of heart. As Tom Adams, executive producer of "Operation Space Station," told NPR, "It looks serene up there. It looks like a place you would love to spend time—but as one of our contributors says, everything up there is trying to kill you." The PBS documentary leans into this reality, contrasting the peaceful images of Earth from orbit with the constant, underlying risk that comes from living in an environment where even the smallest malfunction can become a matter of life or death.
One particularly harrowing incident highlighted in both the documentary and the historical record involved Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano. During a spacewalk, Parmitano’s helmet began to fill with water—a life-threatening emergency in the vacuum of space. Such moments are a stark reminder that, as astronaut Wendy Lawrence put it in her interview with NPR, "You always have to respect the laws of physics and recognize that the laws of physics will always win." Lawrence, who operated the ISS robotic arm during a tense inspection of the space shuttle Discovery’s heat shield after the Columbia disaster, described the duality of her experience: "One, you're very focused on the task that you have to do...But then kind of the little kid side of you goes, oh, my gosh, these are incredible views. We've never seen imagery like this before. Nobody's ever been here before, and we're getting to do this. This is so cool."
Lawrence’s recollection of guiding astronaut Steve Robinson close to the orbiter’s thermal protection tiles to remove gap fillers is emblematic of the calm, precise problem-solving that defines life aboard the ISS. "To me, they're the true heroes of the story—you know, unsung, unfortunately—but really the true heroes behind this," she said, referring to the ground teams who supported the crew through every challenge. The ability to improvise and adapt, often with limited resources, has been a hallmark of ISS operations since the very beginning.
Yet, as much as the ISS is a technological and scientific achievement, it’s also a political one. The station stands as perhaps the most visible symbol of international cooperation in recent history. Despite geopolitical tensions—sometimes at their worst since the Cold War, as former NASA administrator Bill Nelson noted in an interview with NPR—the U.S. and Russia have maintained an unbroken partnership on the ISS. Astronaut Wendy Lawrence recalled, "Back in the mid-'90s, we had our doubts about whether or not we could make this partnership be successful. But it was really the astronauts and cosmonauts—many of whom served in the militaries for their countries, who had actually trained to go to war against one another—we realize that we had the same job. We didn't speak the same language, but we had a common background, and we use that as kind of the glue to hold the program together."
Lawrence’s reflection captures the spirit of the ISS as more than just a lab in the sky. "I think historians will look at the International Space Station program and say, yeah, some really fascinating science was being conducted on board. But the most significant contribution was that when we humans choose to do this, we truly can take those proverbial swords and beat them into plowshares. We can do some remarkable things together for all of mankind, for the benefit of humankind."
But nothing lasts forever. The ISS, now showing its age—particularly the Zvezda module, built in the 1980s and exhibiting serious wear—is scheduled for decommissioning by the end of the decade, according to El-Balad. NASA’s current plan is to deorbit the station using a modified SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, guiding it to a controlled descent into the Pacific Ocean in 2024. Looking ahead, the agency has shifted its operational model, moving away from permanent ISS crews to shorter, month-long missions with fewer astronauts. This change comes as plans for commercial replacement stations have faced repeated delays, leaving the future of a continuous human presence in space somewhat uncertain.
"Operation Space Station" shines a light on these transitions, offering viewers a chance to appreciate both the extraordinary risks and the everyday realities of life in orbit. The documentary, featuring interviews with astronauts like Wendy Lawrence and producers like Tom Adams, doesn’t shy away from the dangers or the drama. Instead, it celebrates the ingenuity, teamwork, and quiet heroism that have defined the ISS for a quarter-century.
As the ISS prepares for its final chapter, its legacy is secure—not just as a platform for scientific discovery, but as a living testament to what humanity can achieve when we set aside our differences and reach, quite literally, for the stars.
