ISS National Lab Reports

20 Years of Student Experiments Using the ISS

Space Station Explorers is a community of educators, learners, and organizations that make learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fun and exciting through connections with the ISS National Lab. Download this Report to learn more about the student experiments this community has enabled over the past 20 years of continuous human presence onboard the ISS.

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Onboard the ISS

The International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory hosted a seminar series on July 29, August 4, and August 6, 2020, organized and sponsored by the ISS U.S. National Laboratory, managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS(Abbreviation: CASIS™) The nonprofit organization that manages the ISS National Lab, which receives at least 50 percent of the U.S. research allocation on the International Space Station to facilitate research that benefits humanity (NASA manages the other 50% and focuses on research for space exploration purposes).).

Additive Manufacturing in Space

The International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory held an Additive Manufacturing in Space Workshop virtual event on July 28, 2020, organized and sponsored by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), manager of the ISS National Lab.

Tissue Chips in Space

Paper presented at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, 21-25 October 2019, Washington, D.C., United States

The ISS National Lab in collaboration with the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering at the NIH developed the “Tissue Chips in Space” initiative to promote and fund research into human physiology and disease in low Earth orbit that will translate into advancements in Earth-based medicine. This report provides an overview of the Tissue Chips in Space initiative, an update on the its current status, and a discussion of its potential long-term benefits.

The International Space Station U.S. National Lab – Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Paper presented at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, 21-25 October 2019, Washington, D.C., United States

One key area of focus for the ISS National Lab is to actively support research efforts that are germane to the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine communities. The ISS National Lab has engaged in these efforts in several ways, including conducting workshops and producing reports, issuing requests for proposals, and engaging other agencies to issue joint solicitations. This brief report highlights the ISS National Lab’s efforts in these areas, details some early findings, and provides a perspective on future efforts.

International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory Initiatives to Address Plastic Pollution

The International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory held its second annual sustainability workshop during the July 2019 ISSR&D Conference in Atlanta. The objective was to discuss how technology development on the ISS can uniquely contribute to industry actions addressing plastic pollution in the environment.

Workshop conducted jointly by NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration SLPSRA and the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory as part of the 2019 ISS R&D Conference.

Workshop sessions conducted by the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory in conjunction with the 32nd annual meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research

The International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory provides a valuable platform for improved molecular crystal growth, and the many successful crystallization experiments conducted in space over the past three decades have demonstrated this value. Crystals grown in microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. are often larger and more well- ordered than Earth-grown crystals.

A space-based program for reliable, repeatable, and repetitive low-cost crystallization in microgravity will enable better structure-based designs for drug discovery while also informing improved strategies for the synthesis, manufacturing and durability of drugs and consumer goods. Download the report from the Microgravity Protein Crystal Growth Workshop to view subject matter expert recommendations regarding the basic science requirements for such a long-term protein crystallization program onboard the ISS National Lab.

In the U.S. alone, a new person is added to the organ transplant waiting list every 10 minutes, and due to the shortage of donated organs, 22 people die each day waiting for an organ. Regenerative medicine and organ bioengineering have the potential to fully heal damaged tissues and organs, offering hope for the sick and treatments for conditions that today are beyond repair. Download the report from the Organ Bioengineering Research in Microgravity workshop to view thought-leader recommendations regarding use of the ISS National Lab for fundamental organ bioengineering research.

The ISS provides a unique vantage point for Earth observation and the testing of computer, communication, and sensor systems for remote sensing platforms. The ISS infrastructure itself provides many advantages as a robust platform for sensor deployment. Download the Campaign Good Earth Gap Analysis Report to learn how the ISS National Lab might optimize its use as a platform for remote sensing project implementation and technology development.