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International Partners

ISS Benefits for Humanity

VZV infected MeWo cells showing typical herpes-virus-induced multinucleated giant cells. (NASA)

Early Detection of Immune Changes Prevents Shingles

Stress associated with spaceflight can reactivate the virus that causes shingles, a disease punctuated by painful skin lesions.

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Diagram of the experiment

Calling Cosmonauts From Home!

Educating future scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians is a global effort -- one that includes the contributions of Roscosmos.

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The above image compilation is an annotated representation of the best pictures taken during the December 2010 investigation of HICO. (NASA)

Unparalleled Views of Earth's Coast With HREP-HICO

Scanning the globe from the International Space Station is about more than the view. HREP-HICO gives researchers a valuable view of the coastal zone.

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ESA astronaut André Kuipers (left) and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (right) with food items on the ISS in December 2011. (ESA)

Add Salt? Astronauts' Bones Say Please Don't

Osteoporosis is a harsh disease that reduces the quality of life for millions. Fortunately, research done in space may change the game.

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During a previous Tomatosphere program, students studied the growth of their tomato plants. (Tomatosphere)

Red Food For the Red Planet

Among the many issues space programs face as they develop plans to send a human mission to Mars, the question of life support ranks near the top.

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An example of a spectrum observed with SMILES. (Fujitsu FIP)

Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb-Emission ...

The main scientific objective of the SMILES mission is to study the recovery and stability of the stratospheric ozone, also known as the ozone layer.

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Benefits of ISS Research

    The International Space Station as seen from the departing Atlantis space shuttle, May 23, 2010. (NASA) Earth framing the International Space Station in May 2010 following undocking of Atlantis during the STS-132 mission. (NASA)
    View large image     Almost as soon as the International Space Station was habitable, researchers began using it to study the impact of microgravity and other space effects on several aspects of our daily lives. This unique scientific platform continues to enable researchers from all over the world to put their talents to work on innovative experiments that could not be done anywhere else. Although each space station partner has distinct agency goals for station research, each partner shares a unified goal to extend the resulting knowledge for the betterment of humanity. We may not know yet what will be the most important discovery gained from the space station, but we already have some amazing breakthroughs! In the areas of human health, telemedicine, education and observations of Earth from space, there are already demonstrated benefits to human life. Vaccine development research, station-generated images that assist with disaster relief and farming, and education programs that inspire future scientists, engineers and space explorers are just some examples of research benefits. The stories featured here summarize the scientific, technological and educational accomplishments of research on the space station that has and will continue to have an impact on life on Earth.

    The benefits outlined here serve as examples of the space station's potential as a groundbreaking scientific research facility. Through advancing the state of scientific knowledge of our planet, looking after our health, and providing a space platform that inspires and educates the science and technology leaders of tomorrow, these benefits will drive the legacy of the space station as its research strengthens economies and enhances the quality of life here on Earth for all people.

Areas of Benefits

ISS Partners/Participants Websites

More About Space Station Research

  • Just for Researchers

    Space Station
    for Researchers

    Discover how NASA partners with industry, academia and federal, state, regional and local entities for research and development.

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  • Space Station
    for Kids

    Are you a student interested in some of the cool experiments and activities related to space station science and technology? Visit us here.

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  • Space Station
    for Educators

    Are you an educator ideas for projects or experiments that could be done on ISS? Interested in getting involved in ISS educational programs? Want useful media to explain microgravity concepts and activities? Visit us here.

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