Eight Years of ISS Science Research Accomplishments Published

Advances in the fight against food poisoning, new methods for delivering medicine to cancer cells, and better materials for future spacecraft are among the results just published in a NASA report detailing scientific research accomplishments made aboard the International Space Station during its first eight years. The results include more than 100 science experiments, ranging from bone studies to materials research.

The first 15 expeditions from 2000 to 2008 aboard the space station have established the orbiting laboratory as a unique opportunity for research capabilities. The accomplishments are unique because they came as the space station was still being assembled. This new report concisely compiles all experiment results collected from each expedition. Some of the summarized investigations are complete with results released, others are complete with preliminary results and some remain ongoing projects.

"This report represents a record of science accomplishments during space station assembly, and summarizes peer-reviewed publications to date," said Julie Robinson, program scientist for the International Space Station at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. "As we enter the final year of assembly, this report highlights the capabilities and opportunities for station research after assembly complete."

NASA's research activities on the space station span several scientific areas, including exploration technology development; microgravity research in the physical and biological sciences; human physiology research; Earth science; and education. The report details 22 different technology demonstrations; 33 physical science experiments; 27 biological experiments; 32 experiments focused on the human body; Earth observations and educational activities. In addition to science important to long-duration human spaceflights, most findings also offer new understanding of methods or applications relevant to life on Earth.

The International Space Station Program Scientist Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center published the report. A link to the full NASA Technical Publication, which provides an archival record of U.S.-sponsored research through Expedition 15, is available at:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20090029998_2009030907.pdf