The International Space Station will fly for four more years. NASA said they've gotten the go-ahead from the White House to extend the life of the orbiting science lab to at least a decade from now.

It paves the way for more launches on the Space Coast to potentially send crew and supplies to the orbiting outpost.

By adding the extra years to the ISS, it allows more time for experiments onboard and pave the way for deep space exploration.

The ISS was set to be de-orbited in 2020, ending what would have been a 22 year run of continuously having humans in space.

But now, much like a politician, the $100 million, low gravity, speciality lab is getting four more years -- until 2024.

NASA said the extension will help mature the commercial space market, advance scientific research and help prepare for deep space exploration, especially the effects of the long term effects of low gravity on people during an eventual mission to Mars.

"And that really changes the way folks see their investment, especially the commercial side, and it changes the researchers' side," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, in an afternoon teleconference.

The extra time also paves the way for a broader reach to the private sector, with their private dollars to do research in the unique microgravity environment.

And a chance at more jobs at the Kennedy Space Center, where astronauts will soon launch to the station once again.

Cargo flights are already heading up next door at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on private rockets.

"We process those payloads at KSC, we have the commercial rockets to take both humans and cargo to the station. This is a robust future for Kennedy and our space program," said Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida.

NASA said no additional money will be needed to extended the space lab's operations. It will come from the funds once devoted to the de-orbit in 2020.

The cost for NASA to maintain the ISS right now is $3 billion a year, and that's with it's current $17 billion per year budget.