The International Space Station (ISS) is now orbiting Earth at a record altitude of 262 miles (422 km). It was deliberately nudged to a higher position just recently by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Such a maneuver is necessary to keep the station safely orbiting Earth, as atmospheric drag causes it to gradually lose altitude.
The station can use any of the docked spacecraft to adjust the its orbit. The process is performed by firing thrusters on one of the spacecraft for a period of several minutes, gently pushing the orbital facility to a new altitude.
Without the reboost procedure, which usually takes place around once a month, the station would eventually head into Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, burning up in the process.
“Reboosts like this help the station maintain its orbit, counteracting atmospheric drag and keeping the laboratory perfectly positioned for science, operations, and visiting spacecraft,” NASA said in a post on X announcing the station’s new position high above Earth.
The Space Station just leveled up… literally. 🛰️
Following Friday’s reboost by SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, the International @Space_Station is now orbiting at a record altitude of 262 statute miles.
Reboosts like this help the station maintain its orbit, counteracting… pic.twitter.com/jVfEejC9ww
— NASA’s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) January 26, 2026
The ISS is usually orbiting our planet at around 250 miles (402 km) up, but it’s now 12 miles beyond that. Although they’re now at a higher altitude, the crew aboard the ISS won’t notice any difference in the microgravity conditions, nor in their view of Earth.
Notably, around 2030, the ISS will be decommissioned due to its aging condition. At that point, once cleared of crew and equipment, a spacecraft will attach to the ISS and use its propulsion to lower its orbit rather than elevate it, allowing atmospheric drag to pull it down for a controlled reentry.
While much of the satellite will burn up during its high-speed descent, some parts are expected to make it back to Earth and crash into the Pacific Ocean.
The station’s demise won’t mean the end of humans living and working in near-Earth orbit. Indeed, China already has taikonauts aboard its own space station, while a number of U.S. companies are working on next-generation stations for international visitors.