This Was the Last Time All Humans Were on Earth Together

It might sound like the premise of a science fiction story, but it represents a significant milestone in human history. Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2000 marked the last day that every person was on Earth and no humans were in space. Since that date, there’s never been a moment when all of humanity was confined to our planet’s atmosphere.

A historic launch. That day, a Soyuz spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying Expedition 1, the International Space Station’s (ISS) first long-term crew. The crew included American commander Bill Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko.

The crew arrived at the ISS on Nov. 2, 2000. At that time, the ISS consisted of only a few modules: the Russian Zarya and the American Unity, both assembled in 1998. Since then, the orbiting laboratory has been continuously occupied. For the past 24.5 years, there’s always been at least one human presence in orbit, around 250 miles above the Earth’s surface.

24.5 years in operation. The ISS is a significant collaborative effort involving five space agencies: NASA, Russia’s Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, Japan’s JAXA, and the Canadian Space Agency. The ISS symbolizes international cooperation and is an unparalleled scientific laboratory, orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes at speeds of 17,900 mph.

Over the past 24.5 years, the ISS has expanded to a habitable volume greater than that of a six-bedroom house. With a wingspan of 356 feet, it can fit an average crew of seven on board. It can also accommodate up to eight spacecraft simultaneously. It’s hosted nearly 3,000 research projects from more than 108 countries. They’ve used microgravity to explore topics ranging from particle physics to the physiological effects of space travel on the human body.

The ISS is preparing for a transition. Due to aging and related issues, such as air leaks impacting its operation, the ISS partners have decided to retire it by 2030. They plan for a SpaceX-developed spacecraft to safely tow it back to Earth for atmospheric reentry.

NASA’s strategy is straightforward. It aims to shift from being the primary owner and operator of the ISS to becoming a key customer. This transition is essential for maintaining a human presence in low-Earth orbit. It’ll facilitate ongoing research in microgravity, which is critical for future missions to the Moon and Mars. At the same time, it’ll promote international collaboration and foster a commercial space economy.

The U.S. recently reduced its ISS budget to accelerate the transition to new commercial space stations. Companies such as Axiom Space, Blue Origin, and Voyager Space are working on new private orbital platforms.

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What happens if they aren’t ready? If these commercial space stations fall behind schedule, humanity may continue to be present in low orbit thanks to China. Excluded from the ISS, China has established its own space presence with the Tiangong space station, which has been continuously inhabited since 2022.

China plans to expand Tiangong from three to six modules in the coming years and is also open to international cooperation. Recent agreements, including those to train and send Pakistani astronauts to the Chinese space station, highlight this willingness to collaborate.

NASA is focusing on a commercial model and deep space exploration. Meanwhile, Beijing strategically positions itself as a key player and a viable alternative in low orbit, particularly for nations seeking collaboration outside the U.S. framework.

A changing environment. The U.S. has shifted its focus to the Moon and Mars. One notable reason is the growing challenge of space debris in low Earth orbit. Millions of objects contribute to this problem, including defunct satellites, rocket upper stages, and small, undetectable fragments created by collisions or anti-satellite missile tests.

This space junk travels at extremely high speeds and poses a constant, potentially catastrophic collision risk to astronauts. In recent years, the ISS has had to perform numerous evasive maneuvers to avoid collisions. Managing this issue will be crucial for future space missions. Different strategies are essential to ensure the long-term safety of crews in space. These include improved tracking systems, active removal of hazardous debris, and, more importantly, preventing the generation of new debris.

For nearly 25 years, there’s been a continuous human presence in space. Oct. 31, 2000 marked the end of an era when humanity was solely confined to Earth. Since then, humans have been an uninterrupted species with an extraterrestrial presence. While sustaining human life off Earth seems assured, ensuring its sustainability will require greater effort and global cooperation.

Image | NASA

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