About Infoplease, Part of FEN Learning. Footer last column. RSS; Contact; Advertise with Infoplease; Terms of Use* Privacy** Site Map; Partnerships; Disclaimer *
Most of the time, the International Space Station (ISS) is orbiting the Earth at an altitude of approximately 220 miles (354 km), which places it in low Earth orbit (LEO). This distance can change, however, and has varied from 205 miles (330 km) to a planned maximum of 248 miles (400 km).
The International Space Station (ISS) is a habitable human-made satellite that orbits Earth at an altitude of between 330 km (205mi) and 435 km (270 mi). The ISS comprises pressurised modules for astronauts to live in, external trusses for propulsion, solar arrays for power and many other amazing components.