The International Space Station, continuously occupied for more than 21 years, is presently home to seven crew members. The ISS orbits the Earth at about 17,150 miles per hour—making a trip around the world about every 90 minutes. In recent months, crew members of Expedition 65 and 66 have taken more amazing photographs of our lovely planet, and I wanted to share some of these unique views below.
The Beauty of Earth From Orbit
Hints:
View this page full screen.
Skip to the next and previous photo by typing j/k or ←/→.
-
![Bright lines detail a web of city streets, while dark lanes show the outlines of rivers.]()
Read moreA night view of the city of Taipei, seen from the International Space Station as it passed overhead, 260 miles (417 kilometers) above, on July 26, 2021 #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
-
![Swirling streaks of dark and light blue are seen in a high overhead view of the ocean near the Bahamas.]()
Read moreA view of the sea floor in the Bahamas on April 24, 2021 #
NASA -
![An aerial view of a textured landscape—many mountains and valleys outlined by snow and dark trees.]()
Read moreA view of British Columbia's snowcapped Coast Mountains and the city of Vancouver at upper left #
NASA -
![A view of the international space station, its many broad panels and long cylindrical modules joined together.]()
Read moreThis mosaic shows the International Space Station pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour, during a fly-around of the orbiting lab that took place following its undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port on November 8, 2021. #
NASA -
-
![Clouds are seen from above, rising from the ocean's surface to the upper atmosphere.]()
Read moreAn orbital view of cloud formations over the ocean #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![Dozens of crescent-shaped scalloped sand dunes are seen on a flat desert plain.]()
Read moreDunes in the Sahara Desert #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![A view of a small spacecraft above distant clouds and Earth.]()
Read moreA SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft approaches before autonomously docking with the ISS on August 30, 2021. #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
-
![A high overhead view of downtown Los Angeles]()
Read moreAn overhead view of downtown Los Angeles on May 5, 2021 (north is to the right) #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![A plume of ash rises from a volcano.]()
Read moreA plume of ash rises from the erupting Cumbra Vieja volcano in the Canary Islands. #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![A spacecraft docks with the International Space Station, with clouds seen moving past below.]()
Read moreA Soyuz spacecraft docks with the ISS, seen in a long-exposure image that blurs the clouds below, as the space station passes overhead at about 17,150 mph (27,600 kph). #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
-
![An overhead view of four volcanic peaks on three small islands.]()
Read moreA view of Chuginadak Island, Carlisle Island, and Herbert Island, in the Aleutians, on June 19, 2021 #
NASA -
![A long-exposure image shows a backdrop of stars, the space station's Canadarm, and airglow above the Earth.]()
Read moreA long-exposure image shows a backdrop of stars, the space station's Canadarm, and airglow above the Earth. #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![A woman moves through a hatch in the interior of a space station.]()
Read moreThe Russian actor Yulia Peresild prepares to leave the International Space Station, joined by the film producer Klim Shipenko on October 16, 2021. Peresild and Shipenko were in orbit to film part of a movie named "The Challenge." #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
-
![A dark interior view of the International Space Station, with many small lights from electronic components.]()
Read moreGreen LEDs light up the U.S. lab module inside the ISS, while sunlight reflected from the Earth projects on the ceiling. #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![A swirl of clouds above the southern Pacific ocean.]()
Read moreA swirl of clouds above the southern Pacific Ocean on May 13, 2021 #
NASA -
![A fireball can be seen far away, moving past distant clouds.]()
Read moreThe longtime ISS module named Pirs (or DC-1) burns up in the Earth's atmosphere, retired after 20 years of service in orbit to make room for a new science module. #
NASA -
-
![A high overhead view of Venice, Italy.]()
Read moreA view of Venice, Italy, seen on June 15, 2021 #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![Twisting and striated landforms are seen in a high desert.]()
Read moreLandscape in northern Wyoming, seen from orbit on May 6, 2021 #
NASA -
![City lights and highways are seen as blotches and strips of light on the night side of Earth.]()
Read moreA night view of Germany, seen from the ISS on September 8, 2021 #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
-
![Paris, seen from high above.]()
Read moreParis, seen from high above, on April 25, 2021 #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA -
![Moonlight illuminates clouds seen below a greenish aurora.]()
Read moreMoonlight illuminates clouds seen below a greenish aurora. #
Thomas Pesquet / ESA / NASA
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.