• Question: how long did it take to build the iss?

    Asked by claudia to Andrew on 19 Jun 2018.
    • Photo: Andrew Margetts-Kelly

      Andrew Margetts-Kelly answered on 19 Jun 2018:

      The idea started in 1982 (so the idea is 35 years old)
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      It was seriously thought about in 1983, by 1984 everyone had agreed to spend money on it. In 1985 the real design work began. The manufacture started in in the 1990’s.
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      The first bit was put into space in 1998 (so it’s been in space for 20 years).
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      We’re still building bits today. By the time we’re finished it will have taken 45 years to plan, design and build.

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