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Station Research News

The latest news on scientific research, crew activities, and milestones on the space station.

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Science in Space: November 2024

Wearable Tech for Space Station Research

Many of us wear devices that count our steps, measure our heart rate, track sleep patterns, and more. This information can help us make healthy decisions – research shows the devices encourage people to move more, for example – and could flag possible problems, such as an irregular heartbeat. Wearable monitors also have become common tools for research on human health, including studies on the International Space Station. Astronauts have worn special watches, headbands, vests, and other devices to help scientists examine sleep quality, effectiveness of exercise, heart health, and more.

Hague wears a black t-shirt and the blue T-mini headband, which has a small control panel. He is holding a white towel in his left hand and smiling.

NASA astronaut Nick Hague wears the T-mini device while exercising

NASA

Hello Earth? Space Calling

How it started versus how it’s going for astronaut Nick Hague with ISS Ham Radio on station. Since November 2000, crew members like Hague have used ham radio to communicate with people on Earth through this educational program, also known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station or ARISS. So far, there have been more than 1,700 events, directly engaging students and listeners from 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and all seven continents.

Hello Earth? Space Calling

NASA astronaut Nick Hague with the International Space Station’s amateur or ham radio equipment during his current mission (right) and a previous flight five years ago (left)

NASA astronaut Nick Hague with the International Space Station’s amateur or ham radio equipment during his current mission (right) and a previous flight five years ago (left)

NASA

Variety of Experiments on NASA's SpaceX-31 Mission Launched to Station

NASA and its international partners have launched a number of scientific investigations on SpaceX’s 31st commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, including studies of solar wind, a radiation-tolerant moss, spacecraft materials, and cold welding in space. The company’s Dragon cargo spacecraft launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A suitcase-sized panel stands upright on a shiny gold surface. The panel has a silver handle on top, and its surface is covered with a series of sample boxes, each covered with round samples of various colors, like watercolor paint palettes.

Preparation of one of the Euro Material Ageing’s experiments for launch.

Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales

Native American Seeds Flown Aboard Space Station

The Choctaw Heirloom Seeds investigation flew five varieties of heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma aboard the International Space Station in early November 2023. The seeds are Isito (Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash), Tobi (Smith Peas), Tanchi Tohbi (Flour Corn), Tvnishi (Lambsquarter), and Chukfi Peas. The seeds spent six months aboard station, returning to Earth in April 2024.

Five plastic baggies are floating in front of a window on the space station. Each baggie holds a different kind of seed with a corresponding label on the outside. Some of the labels read “Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash,” “Choctaw Smith Peas,” and “Choctaw Corn Flour.”

Five varieties of seeds provided by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma were pictured inside the cupola on Nov. 21, 2023, as the International Space Station orbited 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. The seeds were exposed to microgravity for several months then returned to Earth and planted next to the same seeds left on Earth for comparison. The space botany experiment is promoting STEM education among tribal members.

NASA/Loral O’Hara

Tissue Chips Accurately Model Organs in Space

The International Space Station offers a unique microgravity environment where cells outside the human body behave similarly to how they do inside the human body. Tissue chips are small devices containing living cells that mimic complex functions of specific human tissues and organs. Researchers can run experiments using tissue chips aboard space station to understand disease progression and provide faster and safer alternatives for preparing medicine for clinical trials.

iss062e115369 (March 26, 2020) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 62 Flight Engineer Jessica Meir conducts cardiac research in the Life Sciences Glovebox located in the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. The Engineered Heart Tissues investigation could promote a better understanding of cardiac function in microgravity which would be useful for drug development and other applications related to heart conditions on Earth.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir conducts cardiac research using tissue chip platforms in the Life Sciences Glovebox aboard space station in March of 2022.

NASA

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 to Conduct Space Station Research

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are headed to the International Space Station for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission in September. Once on station, these crew members will support scientific investigations that include studies of blood clotting, effects of moisture on plants grown in space, and vision changes in astronauts.

The station pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon

The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a fly around.

NASA

Station Research Features and Articles

2 min read

Anthocyanins protect seeds in space After exposure to space outside the International Space Station, purple-pigmented rice seeds rich in anthocyanin…

Article

4 min read

One year ago today, the future of space communications arrived at Earth as a beam of light from a NASA…

Article

5 min read

Science in Space Nov 2024 Many of us wear devices that count our steps, measure our heart rate, track sleep…

Article

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Astronaut Nicole Mann works on the BioNutrients-2 investigation

Astronaut Nicole Mann works on the BioNutrients-2 investigation to provide nutrients on demand in space.

NASA

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