NASA has announced that the International Space Station (ISS) will return to earth in 2030, set to de-orbit into the Pacific Ocean and ending an era when crews of humans from several countries at a time have been aboard and closing a saga of international unity. Since November 2000 there have always been several humans aboard – for more than 25 years.
Many of the ISS astronauts have held amateur radio callsigns. British amateur Tim Peake held the special callsign GB1SS and now holds the American call KG5BVI. Specially-scheduled QSOs with groups of schoolchildren have enabled them to ask questions of the astronauts during their brief 10-minute pass over their ground location.