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The International Space Station |
The ISS is a space
station, started in 1998, that orbits the earth. Many
countries are working together to build the station, and all
sort of scientists will have the opportunity to carry out
experiments on board. When space exploration
began back in the 1950's and 1960's, the kinds of people who
went into space were men (except for one Russian woman), who
were short (to fit inside!), in the armed services, and
often experienced fighter pilots. Now most people who go
into space have degrees in technology or engineering or
science. They have to be very clever and it doesn't matter
whether they are male or female, short or tall. The ISS orbits earth
Inside the space station,
working conditions are far more comfortable than they used to be in
Mir, or SkyLab.