Bill Dowdell talks to station employees based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during the ISS Is Alive employee recognition barbecue celebration.

Director Bill Dowdell talks to station employees based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the "ISS Is Alive" employee recognition barbecue celebration at Kars Park II. NASA and The Boeing Co. hosted the celebration to thank the employees based at the Kennedy Space Center who were involved in building the largest, most complex international scientific project in history and the largest venture in space to date.

The station has hosted human life, work and research in space for more than 10 years. Boeing is the prime contractor to NASA for the space station. In addition to designing and building all the major U.S. elements, Boeing also is responsible for ensuring the successful integration of new hardware and software -- including components from international partners -- as well as for providing sustaining engineering work. For more information on the International Space Station, visit http://www.nasa.gov/station. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller