Astronauts welcome arrival of new crewmates
Three new crewmates brings Expedition 73 to briefly include 10 members.
www.space.comHere’s the latest overview of human presence on the International Space Station (ISS) based on recent publicly reported missions.
Short answer
- Yes. The ISS has been continuously inhabited since the year 2000, with crews rotating regularly. As of early 2026, multiple astronauts from different space agencies remain aboard or rotate through the station on ongoing expeditions.
What’s currently happening
- Regular crew rotations continue, with new crews launching to the ISS from Cape Canaveral or Baikonur and docking to replace departing astronauts. These rotations ensure a steady presence and ongoing research aboard the station. The exact crew manifest changes frequently as missions launch, dock, and undock. For the most current crew roster, check NASA’s ISS status pages and the latest press releases from partner agencies.
Key context
- The ISS serves as a long-duration microgravity research lab, hosting a mix of US, Russian, European, Japanese, Canadian, and other international astronauts. This shared governance model is designed to enable continuous occupancy, ongoing experiments, and maintenance of the orbital facility.
Illustrative example
- In recent years, crew rotations have included arrivals of new astronauts while others depart for return trips to Earth, sometimes after extended stays due to mission-specific delays or contingencies. This pattern has kept the station actively inhabited and productive for research and technology demonstrations.
Notes for London-area readers
- If you’re following live coverage, you’ll often see broadcasts and live streams around spaceship docking events or crew handovers. NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, JAXA, and CSA provide updates and press briefings that include crew names, mission durations, and primary scientific objectives.
Would you like:
- A concise current crew roster and upcoming launch/return dates?
- A timeline of recent ISS expeditions with their durations and major experiments?
- Direct links to official sources for live status updates?