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New Researcher – Principal Investigator
Getting Started with ISS National Lab Research
Conducting research through the ISSInternational Space Station National Lab provides access to a unique space platform for scientific and technological advancement. This page helps new researchers understand how to begin planning and proposing work for flight projects to the ISS.
Primary Pathway: Commercial Service Providers (CSPs)
The primary pathway to conduct R&D on the ISS through the ISS National Lab is through business-to-business transactions with CSPs. CSPs are commercial companies that are a subset of Implementation Partners that own and operate facilities on the ISS. CSPs have unique agreements with the ISS National Lab that allow them to bypass the traditional peer-review proposal process and fly payloads to the ISS for their customers through business-to-business transactions. More information on how to identify, select, and work with CSPs to conduct R&D on the ISS can be found on the Commercial Service Provider Pathway webpage.
Solicitations
The ISS National Lab is unlikely to issue solicitations that offer funding for proposed projects but may occasionally do so for target research areas. Solicitations, if available, are posted on the Current and Upcoming Research Opportunities webpage.
Your Spaceflight Team
On your journey from Earth to the ISS, three major groups will help guide your research opportunity from concept to execution: the ISS National Lab (managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space®), your Implementation Partner(Abbreviation: IP) Commercial companies that work with the ISS National Lab to provide services related to payload development, including the translation of ground-based science to a space-based platform., and NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration. Below is an overview of each of these groups and their role.
ISS National Lab
The ISS National Lab sponsors your experiment, managing resources and advocating for you with NASA and stakeholders, while also ensuring the value of your research is communicated to NASA, Congress, and U.S. taxpayers. The ISS National Lab is responsible for prioritizing payloads manifested for flight to and from the ISS.
Implementation Partner
Your Implementation Partner or CSP handles the Mission Integration and Operations (MI&O) for your experiment, communicating with NASA and providing necessary technical specifications and documentation to ensure compliance with ISS and launch vehicle requirements. They also collaborate with the NASA operations team to develop training and procedures for executing your experiment on the ISS. Email ops@ISSNationalLab.org if you need help finding an Implementation Partner or CSP as you prepare your first proposal.
NASA
NASA provides the ISS National Lab with resources and transportation for your experiment, ensuring its integration and safety. Your project will be guided by a Research Portfolio Manager (RPM) and a Payload Integration Manager (PIM), with additional experts as needed, and you may be asked to participate in a pre-launch science symposium.
Additional Resources
- ISS Research Facilities Directory: https://www.issnationallab.org/research-facilities/
- NASA’s Space Station Research Explorer: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/
- Email info@ISSNationalLab.org with questions.
Payload Success
The ISS National Lab aims to ensure your payload’s success by keeping it on schedule and within budget. Early hardware testing can help address challenges, and final design changes should be science-driven to avoid delays and costs. Communicate any necessary changes to the ISS National Lab and your Implementation Partner or CSP early to adjust plans efficiently.
Applicant Resources
A list of resources is available to help applicants prepare a proposal.
Outreach
The ISS National Lab’s Communications Team promotes your research to the public and leverages social media to highlight ISS science. Utilize this team for media releases, magazine features, research videos, interviews, and public events. For outreach when publishing external materials, please also coordinate with this team.
For more information, ask for our communications overview and social media guide. For press releases, contact the Communications Team at communications@ISSNationalLab.org at least two weeks before release.
Publication/Distribution of Materials
We are interested in your research and in presentations, publications, patents, or commercialized products related to your research. We can help co-promote your research to extend its reach. Remember to acknowledge the ISS National Lab in any published materials with the statement: “Research reported in this [publication/press release/web page] was supported by the International Space Station National Laboratory under [award/agreement] number (insert grant number).” Also, remember to verbally acknowledge ISS National Lab support during media interviews.
Scientific Advancements & Results:
Space-based research is essential for advancing scientific knowledge and achieving groundbreaking R&D outcomes that are unattainable on Earth. Sharing these results fosters the growth of the space community and encourages more researchers to consider space as a viable option for addressing their most significant challenges. Upward, the official magazine of the ISS National Lab disseminates findings from ISS National Lab-sponsored R&D to the global scientific community. Additionally, ISS National Lab case studies offer comprehensive overviews of unique space-based research projects, providing valuable insights and practical examples for future researchers, companies, and prospective investors.
Logo Usage
If you are interested in incorporating the ISS National Lab logo into your presentations, publications, patches, stickers, or payload hardware, logos can be provided by the Communications Team.
For more details about any aspect of the new researcher content provided here, download the PI Guide or contact ops@ISSNationalLab.org.