The International Space Station (ISS) is not owned by a single country or entity but is a multinational cooperative project involving 15 countries. The primary ownership and operational collaboration is among five space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Each partner country or agency retains jurisdiction and control over the specific components or modules they provide to the ISS. For example, Russia owns and operates the Russian Orbital Segment, while the US Orbital Segment is shared among NASA, ESA, JAXA, and CSA with specific ownership percentages for each module. The legal framework through the International Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement ensures each partner state manages their respective elements and personnel.
Thus, the ISS is a joint international asset with no single owner, governed by treaties and agreements among participating countries.
