Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up floating 400 kilometres above Earth, watching our blue planet rotate beneath you? For 25 years, that dream has been reality for hundreds of astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Moreover, this incredible achievement has paved the way for something even more exciting: the future of holidays in space for ordinary people like you and me.

On November 2nd, 2025, we celebrated a remarkable milestone: 25 years of continuous human presence on the International Space Station. This achievement represents far more than just a technical feat. Therefore, it's worth exploring how this floating laboratory has transformed from a government research facility into the launching pad for commercial space tourism.

A Quarter-Century of Dreams Made Reality

The story begins back in November 2000, when the first crew: one American and two Russians: stepped aboard the ISS to begin humanity's longest-running space adventure. Since then, an incredible 290 people from 26 different countries have called this orbital outpost home, even if temporarily.

What's truly mind-blowing is that more than 40% of all humans who have ever been to space have visited the ISS. As a result, nearly 127 person-years of human experience have been accumulated in this unique environment. Can you imagine spending that much collective time floating in microgravity, conducting experiments, and gazing down at Earth?

The construction itself was an engineering marvel that took years to complete. Initially launched in 1998, the station grew module by module until it became the sophisticated research platform we know today. However, what started as primarily an American project transformed in 1993 when President Clinton expanded it to include Russia and 13 other partner nations, including Canada, Japan, and members of the European Space Agency.

Scientific Breakthroughs in Orbit

The ISS hasn't just been a home away from home: it's been humanity's most productive laboratory in space. Over these 25 years, astronauts have conducted more than 4,000 scientific investigations, resulting in an impressive 4,400 published papers. Furthermore, 2024 alone saw 361 new papers published from ISS research.

This research involves over 5,000 scientists from 110 countries working across nearly 200 distinct scientific facilities. The experiments range from studying how flames behave in microgravity to growing perfect protein crystals that could revolutionise medicine. Additionally, astronauts have been preparing for humanity's next giant leap: the upcoming Artemis missions that will return humans to the Moon.

But here's what's particularly exciting for space tourism enthusiasts: much of this research focuses on how humans adapt to living in space. As a result, scientists now understand far better how to keep people healthy and comfortable during extended space journeys, knowledge that's directly applicable to making holidays in space safer and more enjoyable.

Where Space Tourism Was Born

Here's something that might surprise you: the International Space Station is actually where space tourism first began! While most visitors have been professional astronauts, the station has occasionally welcomed space tourists and even hosted a movie director filming in orbit.

These early space tourism experiences proved that ordinary people could adapt to life in space, therefore opening the door for the commercial space tourism industry we see emerging today. However, these visits were limited and expensive, serving more as proof of concept than accessible tourism.

The ISS demonstrated that humans could not only survive but thrive in space for extended periods. Consequently, this knowledge has become the foundation for companies now developing space tourism experiences, from brief suborbital flights to extended orbital stays.

The Future: Commercial Space Stations

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The ISS will be retired around 2030, with NASA planning to award SpaceX nearly $1 billion to safely deorbit the station in early 2031. However, this isn't the end of the story: it's actually the beginning of something even more exciting.

NASA is committed to maintaining continuous human presence in orbit during this transition. Before the ISS meets its controlled end over the Pacific Ocean, Axiom Space will remove modules they've developed to establish their own commercial space station. Therefore, this transition represents a fundamental shift from government-only space stations to multiple commercial platforms.

Several companies are developing their own orbital facilities, and NASA is investing heavily in these "commercially-owned and operated platforms." As a result, instead of relying on a single government station, we'll soon have multiple commercial operators providing orbital infrastructure.

What This Means for Your Future Holidays in Space

This shift to commercial space stations is revolutionary for space tourism. While the ISS primarily served scientific and governmental purposes, these new commercial platforms are being designed with broader accessibility in mind. Furthermore, competition between multiple operators should drive innovation and potentially make space experiences more attainable.

The 25-year legacy of the ISS has provided invaluable data on everything from space food preparation to exercise routines in microgravity. This knowledge directly translates to making holidays in space more comfortable and enjoyable for tourists. Additionally, the psychological aspects of long-term space habitation have been thoroughly studied, helping future space hotels create environments that feel welcoming rather than clinical.

Companies developing commercial space stations are incorporating lessons learned from the ISS to create facilities that serve both research and tourism. As a result, future space tourists might find themselves staying in stations that offer not just incredible views of Earth, but also recreational activities, comfortable private quarters, and dining experiences designed specifically for the space environment.

The Adventure Continues

The International Space Station's 25-year journey represents humanity's first successful attempt at permanent space habitation. However, its greatest legacy might be proving that space is no longer the exclusive domain of government astronauts. The station has shown that humans can live, work, and even find joy in the weightless environment of low Earth orbit.

As we look toward 2030 and beyond, the transition from the ISS to commercial space stations marks the beginning of a new era. This shift promises to make space more accessible to adventurous travellers seeking the ultimate holiday experience. The knowledge gained from a quarter-century of continuous human presence in space has laid the groundwork for what could become routine space tourism.

Are you ready to be part of this incredible adventure? The future of holidays in space is closer than you might think, built on the solid foundation of 25 years of human experience aboard the International Space Station. Learn more about how much it costs to take a trip to space and discover when your own space adventure might become reality.

The stars are calling; and thanks to the ISS legacy, answering that call is becoming an achievable dream for adventurous travellers everywhere.