Space Station

A Space Station is an artificial structure designed for humans to live in outer space. So far only low earth orbit (LEO) stations also known as orbital stations have been implemented.

A space station is distinguished from other manned spacecraft by its lack of major propulsion or landing facilities instead other vehicles are used as transport to and from the station.

Space station are designed for medium term living in orbit, for periods of weeks, months or even years.

The only Space Stations currently in use is the International Space Station. Previous ones are Almaz, Salyut series, Skylab and Mir.

Space stations are currently (as of 2007) used to study the effects of long term space flight on the human body as well as to provide platforms for a greater number and length of scientific studies than available on other space vehicles.

Since the ill fated fight of Soyuz 11 to Salyut 1, all manned spaceflight duration records have been set aboard space stations.

The duration record for a single spaceflight is 437.7 days set by Valeriy Polyakov aboard Mir from 1994 to 1995.

As of 2008, three astronauts have completed single missions of over a year, all aboard Mir.