Suggested Searches

Station Research News

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

Current mission

72

Expedition

7

Crew Members Aboard

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

Featured Video

Space Station Research Tests Self-Healing Quantum Technology

The Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility mounted on the outside of the International Space Station allows researchers to test the performance and durability of materials and devices. This is done by exposing items of interest to everything that makes the space environment harsh, including radiation, highly reactive atomic oxygen, microgravity, and extreme temperatures.

FAQ: The Real Story About Astronaut Health Care in Space

The International Space Station is humanity’s home in space and a research station orbiting about 250 miles above the Earth. NASA and its international partners have maintained a continuous human presence aboard the space station for more than 24 years, conducting research that is not possible on Earth.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nick Hague pedals on the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS), an exercise cycle located aboard the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module. CEVIS provides aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning through recumbent (leaning back position) or upright cycling activities.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nick Hague pedals on the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS), an exercise cycle located aboard the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module. CEVIS provides aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning through recumbent (leaning back position) or upright cycling activities.

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

Station Research Features and Articles

1 min read

Hay muchas razones por las cuales cultivamos diversos tipos de plantas en el espacio. Las plantas proveen alimentación y bienestar…

Article

2 min read

The Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility mounted on the outside of the International Space Station allows researchers to test the…

Image Article

8 min read

Editor’s Note: This article was updated Nov. 20, 2024 shortly after BioSentinel’s mission marked two years of operation in deep…

Article

Weekly Newsletter

Find out the latest about the research onboard the space station from our weekly newsletter!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

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

Featured Video

Space to Ground

NASA’s Space to Ground is your weekly update on what’s happening aboard the International Space Station.

Visit Playlist on YouTube

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics

Space Station Research and Technology

ISS National Laboratory

Space Station Technology Demonstration

In Space Production Applications