Space station marks 15 years of nonstop human presence

November 03, 2015 01:50

Humankind marked an off-the-planet pinnacle today: the 15th anniversary of continuous residency at the International Space Station.

NASA and its global partners celebrated the milestone, as did the six astronauts on board. The US, Russian and Japanese spacemen planned a special dinner 250 miles up.

Commander Scott Kelly, seven months into a yearlong mission, said the biggest benefit of the orbiting lab is furthering long-term exploration goals deeper into space.

"The space station really is a bridge. It's a test bed for the technologies that we need to develop and understand in order to have a successful trip to Mars," American astronaut Kjell Lindgren noted during a news conference.

Since the first permanent crew moved in on November 2, 2000, 220 people have come and gone, representing 17 countries.

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