diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c4805b3..d527454 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "react": "^18.3.1",
     "react-dom": "^18.3.1",
-    "react-router-dom": "^6.27.0"
+    "react-router-dom": "^6.27.0",
+    "leaflet": "^1.9.4",
+    "react-leaflet": "^4.2.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@vitejs/plugin-react": "^4.3.1",
diff --git a/src/components/IssMap.jsx b/src/components/IssMap.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e908ea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/IssMap.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { MapContainer, TileLayer, Marker, Popup } from 'react-leaflet';
+import L from 'leaflet';
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import 'leaflet/dist/leaflet.css';
+
+// Default Leaflet icon fix (since CRA/Vite bundling sometimes needs explicit paths)
+const icon = new L.Icon({
+  iconUrl: 'https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/images/marker-icon.png',
+  iconRetinaUrl: 'https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/images/marker-icon-2x.png',
+  shadowUrl: 'https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/images/marker-shadow.png',
+  iconSize: [25, 41],
+  iconAnchor: [12, 41],
+  popupAnchor: [1, -34],
+  shadowSize: [41, 41]
+});
+
+/**
+ * IssMap component
+ * Props:
+ *  - latitude (string or number)
+ *  - longitude (string or number)
+ */
+export default function IssMap({ latitude, longitude }) {
+  const lat = parseFloat(latitude);
+  const lon = parseFloat(longitude);
+  const mapRef = useRef(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (mapRef.current) {
+      mapRef.current.setView([lat, lon]);
+    }
+  }, [lat, lon]);
+
+  if (Number.isNaN(lat) || Number.isNaN(lon)) return null;
+
+  return (
+    <div style={{ height: '320px', width: '100%', borderRadius: 8, overflow: 'hidden' }}>
+      <MapContainer
+        center={[lat, lon]}
+        zoom={3}
+        ref={mapRef}
+        style={{ height: '100%', width: '100%' }}
+        scrollWheelZoom={false}
+      >
+        <TileLayer
+          attribution='&copy; <a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright">OpenStreetMap</a> contributors'
+          url='https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png'
+        />
+        <Marker position={[lat, lon]} icon={icon}>
+          <Popup>
+            ISS Position<br />Lat: {lat.toFixed(2)} Lon: {lon.toFixed(2)}
+          </Popup>
+        </Marker>
+      </MapContainer>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/pages/Space.jsx b/src/pages/Space.jsx
index 6d38afd..01b38e9 100644
--- a/src/pages/Space.jsx
+++ b/src/pages/Space.jsx
@@ -17,18 +17,28 @@
  *  - [ ] Track path trail (polyline) on map over session
  *  - [ ] Extract map component & custom hook (useIssPosition)
  */
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import Loading from '../components/Loading.jsx';
 import ErrorMessage from '../components/ErrorMessage.jsx';
 import Card from '../components/Card.jsx';
+import IssMap from '../components/IssMap.jsx';
 
 export default function Space() {
   const [iss, setIss] = useState(null);
   const [crew, setCrew] = useState([]);
   const [error, setError] = useState(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [lastUpdated, setLastUpdated] = useState(null);
+  const intervalRef = useRef(null);
 
-  useEffect(() => { fetchData(); }, []);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    fetchData();
+    // Poll every 5s for updated ISS position only
+    intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
+      refreshIssOnly();
+    }, 5000);
+    return () => { if (intervalRef.current) clearInterval(intervalRef.current); };
+  }, []);
 
   async function fetchData() {
     try {
@@ -42,9 +52,23 @@ export default function Space() {
       const crewJson = await crewRes.json();
       setIss(issJson);
       setCrew(crewJson.people || []);
+      setLastUpdated(new Date());
     } catch (e) { setError(e); } finally { setLoading(false); }
   }
 
+  async function refreshIssOnly() {
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch('http://api.open-notify.org/iss-now.json');
+      if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Failed to refresh ISS');
+      const issJson = await res.json();
+      setIss(issJson);
+      setLastUpdated(new Date());
+    } catch (e) {
+      // don't clobber existing data, but surface error
+      setError(e);
+    }
+  }
+//leaflet map component
   return (
     <div>
       <h2>Space & Astronomy</h2>
@@ -54,7 +78,8 @@ export default function Space() {
         <Card title="ISS Current Location">
           <p>Latitude: {iss.iss_position.latitude}</p>
           <p>Longitude: {iss.iss_position.longitude}</p>
-          {/* TODO: Render map (Leaflet) with marker for ISS position */}
+          {lastUpdated && <p style={{ fontSize: '0.8rem', color: '#666' }}>Last updated: {lastUpdated.toLocaleTimeString()}</p>}
+          <IssMap latitude={iss.iss_position.latitude} longitude={iss.iss_position.longitude} />
         </Card>
       )}
       <Card title={`Astronauts in Space (${crew.length})`}>