View From The Cupola: Emily Tomlin

February 26, 2021 • By Emily Tomlin

Five years ago, in February 2016, we released our first issue of Upward, official magazine of the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) U.S. National Laboratory. It was a labor of love.

Looking back, it is amusing to think that in the early stages of planning, the initiative was going to be a newsletter. However, as our small team of scientists and science writers began conceptualizing the format and content, we saw a great need for feature-length articles to showcase the incredible results coming out of the ISS National Lab. Our first issue had three such features and four “spotlights,” shorter stories that were not always focused on results alone. In our inaugural issue and each publication since, we also lead off with a “Perspective,” or an opinion-style contribution that later became the one place we allowed guest contributors to lend their voice to the magazine.

We have covered results from Fortune 500 companies, small startups, research universities, and educational organizations—spanning life and physical sciences, remote sensing, technology development, and more diverse science topics. The theme, however, was constant: Space is enabling out-of-this-world research and development (R&D) that benefits life back on Earth.

How Does Space Benefit Life on Earth?

It is intuitive that the impacts of 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. on biological and physical systems are critical to understand if we are to reach the lofty NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration goals of Artemis (returning astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024) and beyond. Perhaps less obvious is the value of understanding these impacts in pursuit of knowledge generation and translational science that seeks to improve healthcare and consumer products on Earth.

Inside the station, humans and objects float in the weightlessness of microgravity—minimal gravitational pull with minor “jitters” from spaceflight. These conditions have dramatic effects on the biological and physical systems that have evolved in and been studied for centuries on Earth. Everything from cell biology to fluid physics is altered, providing an opportunity for scientists to treat gravity itself as a variable in simple to complex scientific investigations that aim to improve not only humanity’s capability to explore the depths of space but also the quality of human life here on Earth.

Additionally, outside the station in the extreme environment of low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. (LEO—not to be confused with “outer space,” as it is only a mere 250 miles above the Earth’s surface!), one can encounter high-energy radiation, extreme vacuum conditions, tremendous fluctuations in temperature, and other conditions that simultaneously stress systems and materials placed in R&D facilities mounted to the station. Moreover, the view of Earth from above, flying in a 17,500-mph orbit that covers 90% of Earth’s inhabited surface, provides a unique vantage point from which to image and study Earth’s surface and atmosphere, including the real-time monitoring of natural disasters.

While the treasure trove of scientific opportunity in space has been used by scientists for decades, the ISS has only somewhat recently (about 10 years now) been managed in part 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).). At CASIS, we facilitate access to the ISS National Lab as a public service to the nation, advancing U.S. leadership in commercial space, fostering science and innovation in microgravity, and inspiring the next generation. Because of the ISS National Lab, the research, results, and stories behind the past 10 years of R&D in space are evolving toward a more democratized landscape—and we were well poised to share that narrative through authentic storytelling.

And so we did! Moreover, we made a commitment to journalistic and scientific integrity in developing the stories, covering the scientific and technological achievements of our projects without trying to “sell” the value of the ISS for R&D. I used to joke that our goal was to make this one product purely “communication without the marketing.” Another team member also labeled it well: “This is where we make our researchers rock stars.” I hope both those things have held true and continue to hold true in the years to come.

It has been such a joy to work on Upward, diving deep into all the amazing science happening in space today—and exploring the human faces and stories behind the research. I am proud of the team that built the magazine (including our freelance and intern contributors), thankful to the management that allowed us to grow and nurture it, and grateful to all those who let us interview, photograph, and immortalize them within its pages.

Finally, I am excited to share with you, our readers, a new look to our online presence, no longer organized by volume and issue but instead digital-forward, with a rolling release of articles that are organized by topic areas of interest. Without you, our team would be lost in a sea of stories without anyone to share them with. You are the motivation and inspiration for us to continue to aspire ever Upward. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy exploring our new format and compilation of stories.

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