By the 1970´s NASA wanted to assemble a space station.
In April 1984, President Ronald Reagan asked his allies to participate in the Freedom program.
Europe, Canada and Japan participate in the program. In 1993, the project was modified to include the new Russia. It is not until 1998 that a collaboration treaty between 15 countries was signed : the International Space Station was officially born.
The assembly of the Station begins with the orbiting of the Zarya module. This module will provide the electrical energy of the station thanks to solar panels. It’s engines will control the orientation and the altitude. This module will also ensure the communications with the ground.
Two weeks later, the Endaevour shuttle brings the first of the 3 connection modules of the station: Unity is attached to the Zarya module.
Unity has 6 docking ports to attach other modules and dock shuttles.
Zvezda will be the astronauts ‘ living module, built by the Russians, it is similar to the base module of the MIR Station. Due to financial difficulties, this module will only be installed in July 2000.
Zvezda is composed of individual cabins, toilets, a kitchen…It has physical exercise and scientific equipment. On September 11, 2000, two astronauts went into space to establish all the connections between Zarya and Zvezda.
Since November 2, 2000 the station is inhabited without interruption.
It will take 41 missions and about 10 years to complete the construction of the International Space Station.
In November 2000, the astronauts Shepherd, Krikalev and Gidzenko constitute the first crew of the station. Their mission is to activate the station by starting the computers which control the vessel. They must install communication equipment and activate life support systems.
During their mission, these 3 astronauts will receive 2 supply ships.
In February 2001, the shuttle Atlantis delivers the research module Destiny which becomes the new heart of the station. This module is used as an American 
research laboratory.
The crews will succeed one another on board the station and life will be organized, the astronauts will celebrate Christmas, perform maintenance tasks, carry out experiments…
Until 2009 only 3 astronauts will be able to stay there at the same time. This number will be increased to 6 and in July 2009, they will be 13 to be on board at the same time and this during 10 days.
Since February 2010, the station has a panoramic dome of 3 meters in diameter that allows a 360 degree panoramic view.
This dome is called Cupola.
The Cupola is a workstation from which the astronauts control the robotic arm of the station. They can also use the Cupola to control their external environment, but the Cupola is also a magical place in the astronauts’ hearts 
to observe the Earth.
In May 2012, the Dragon capsule of the SpaceX company ( founded in 2002 by Elon Musk ), supplies station.
Elon’s company
becomes the first private company to supply the International Space Station, others companies will follow as Orbital Sciences…
In 2014, NASA selected SpaceX again but this time to transport astronauts to the Station: The Crew Dragon version was born.
Today, Crew Dragon has already transported 5 crews to the International Space Station and SpaceX has just announced that Tom Cruise 
will soon fly with them to shoot a movie
on board the station.
The International Space Station could be operational until 2030.
