International Space Station

The only currently operational human space station. It is a joint venture between the USA (NASA), Europe (ESA), Russia (Rosavia Kosmos), Canada (CSA?) and Japan (NASDA?).

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/
• http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation/
• dmoz:Science/Technology/Space/International_Space_Station
• http://www.estec.esa.nl/spaceflight/iss.htm
• http://www.esa.int/export/esaHS/
• http://www.spaceflight.esa.int/users
• http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station (so much for Inter Wiki)

The space agencies will try to tell you that the ISS has great scientific value; it doesn't. Its scientific value is marginal, and certainly nowhere near enough to justify the expense. The real reason we have the ISS is to keep all those ex-Soviet rocket scientists busy, so they don't while away their days building nuclear missiles for rogue states. However, the reason we should support the ISS is that it's an expression of humanity's hope for the future: international cooperation, technical excellence, exploration of new frontiers, all that. And it's really cool. It's not useful, but it's wonderful, and that's enough; think of it as the English National Opera In Spaaace.