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ISS Completes 100,000th Orbit of Earth (phys.org)

Posted by BeauHD on from the significant-milestone dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Phys.Org: The International Space Station, the space laboratory that showcases cooperation between Russia and the United States, on Monday orbited Earth for the 100,000th time, Russian mission control said. Traveling at an altitude of about 250 miles (400 kilometers) and a speed of about 17,500 miles (28,000 kilometers) per hour, the space station circles the Earth once every 90 minutes. The ISS has now traveled 2.6 billion miles "or about the distance of 10 round trips to Mars," NASA said on the station's official Twitter feed. From two modules, it has grown to 15 modules, occupying a space the size of a football pitch and represents around $100 billion in investment. "Such a long lifespan of the ISS proves that mankind has the necessary technologies for constant presence in orbit, that we have the potential for further space exploration," said Matyushin.

6 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Travelled... nowhere? by sid+crimson · · Score: 4, Funny

    I get what they mean... but after reaching orbit, the ISS hasn't travelled any farther in orbit than I've travelled on my treadmill.

    1. Re:Travelled... nowhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      It is still impressive. Just a few years ago, all ISS controlled was a few towns in northern Iraq and Syria, and now they are putting satellites in orbit.
       

    2. Re:Travelled... nowhere? by smallfries · · Score: 4, Funny

      Congratulations on your 2.6th billion mile of treadmill. Perhaps soon you will be slim enough to make it out of the basement door and up the stairs?

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  2. American math by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1, Funny

    >> size of a football pitch

    So...about 40 yards then? I think I saw a quarterback throw that far once.

    1. Re:American math by Fwipp · · Score: 3, Funny

      Apparently a "football pitch" is foreign for "soccer field."

  3. Money by tsa · · Score: 3, Funny

    If we hadn't spent so much money on pointless wars we'd be on our way to the next solar system by now.

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