The+International+Space+Station

= **media type="youtube" key="aCLHJ0YUAC4" height="344" width="425" The Amazing International Space Station** =

**By Nina**
Who started the ISS, you ask? Russia and The United States of America. But after the first months it started, other countries started to want to help. Now many countries are helping these great space station countries as big as Russia to as small as Denmark. 16 countries built the ISS and they are Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, And the United States of America.

The ISS is made from materials from old buildings, It has very thick glass. Because of the materials, the ISS is 1,000,000 pounds. It is 365 feet wide and 299 feet long. The ISS is one of the biggest space stations ever made. It was made in 100 pieces on earth. Then they sent it up in space. Then since the ISS was not completely finished they sent pieces up into space to attach onto the ISS like a Lego building.

People always ask, “How can I become an Astronaut?” It’s hard, but not that hard. You have to be no taller then 6’4” and no shorter then 5’4”. You would be one of 4014 people who want to live in the ISS. That is a lot of people. It goes around the world very fast. It is 355.5 miles above earth. It is a giant laboratory in space. The United States has always had a person in the ISS. In November 2000 the first people from the USA lived on the ISS. They were Bill Sheppard, Yuki Gidenko, and Songi Krikalev.

So how does the International Space Station affect the USA?

The International Space Station affects the USA by helping the ISS be part of our country and having people from the USA live I it, so when they come back so we can learn more of the Amazing International Space Station in Space. By seeing more pictures and videos.

Works Cited Casanellas, Antonio. __That Helped Explore Earth and Space (Great Discoveries and Inventions)__. Grand Rapids: Gareth Stevens, 2000. Gallant, Roy A. __Space Stations (Kaleidoscope: Space)__. New York: Benchmark Books (NY), 2000. Lassieur, Allison. __The Space Shuttle (True Books)__. New York: Children's P (CT), 2000. Mag, Editors Of YES. __The Amazing International Space Station__. New York: Kids Can P, Ltd., 2003. Rinard, Judith E. __Book of flight__. Willowdale, Ont: Firefly Books, 2001.