Hands Across the Sky

In 1998, the first piece of the International Space Station rose into orbit.

Since then, sixteen countries have worked together to build and run it.

The station is about the size of a football field, and it circles Earth every ninety minutes.

Astronauts from different nations live there for months at a time.

Because they share a small space, they must learn to speak each other's languages and respect different habits.

For example, a Russian crew member and an American engineer often cook meals side by side.

When a machine breaks, experts on the ground in several countries solve the problem together.

This teamwork is not always easy, but it saves money and time.

Space agencies also share pictures and scientific results from the station.

Those results help doctors and farmers on Earth.

In the future, more countries, including some in Africa and Asia, plan to join space projects.

Cooperation in space teaches us that big goals need many hands.