Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025
25 Years of Human Research in Orbit
The International Space Station (ISS) has been a cornerstone of human spaceflight for over two decades, serving as a unique laboratory in space that has enabled thousands of experiments and technology demonstrations. As Earth completed its orbit around the Sun to close out 2025, the ISS circled our planet more than 5,800 times, showcasing its continued importance in advancing science and driving innovation.
On November 2, 2025, humanity reached a milestone of cosmic proportions: 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the ISS. Since the first crew arrived on November 2, 2000, NASA and its partners from around the world have conducted more than 4,000 research investigations and technology demonstrations. More than 290 people from 26 countries have visited the ISS, where continuous human presence enables research that surpasses the capabilities of satellites and autonomous platforms.
The ISS's unique microgravity environment, paired with crew operations, continues to unlock discoveries and push the boundaries of humanity's curiosity and innovation. The space station's evolution has been marked by numerous upgrades and additions, including the installation of new life support systems, solar arrays, and robotic arms. These upgrades have enabled the ISS to support a wider range of research and technological demonstrations, from studying the effects of microgravity on the human body to testing the feasibility of in-space manufacturing.
A Breakthrough Cancer Treatment
Research aboard the ISS has played a crucial role in the development of a newly FDA-approved injectable medication used to treat several types of early-stage cancers. The research yielded early insights into the structure and size of particles needed to develop the medication through protein crystal growth experiments. This new delivery method promises to lower costs and significantly reduce treatment time for patients and healthcare providers, while maintaining drug efficiency.
Microgravity research can produce higher-quality, medically relevant crystals than Earth-based labs, enabling these types of medical advances. These developments showcase how ISS research can drive innovation, improve lives, and foster commercial opportunities. The development of this new medication is a prime example of how space-based research can have a direct impact on human health and well-being.
Medical Implants Printed in Orbit
Eight medical devices for peripheral nerve repair were printed simultaneously aboard the ISS. Credit: Auxilium Biotechnologies.
Eight medical implants designed to support nerve regeneration were successfully 3D printed aboard the ISS for preclinical trials on Earth. When nerve damage occurs, these types of implants are designed to improve blood flow and enable targeted drug delivery. Printing in microgravity can prevent particle settling, resulting in more uniform and stable structures.
In-space manufacturing is helping to advance medical treatments and other technologies while also enabling astronauts to print devices and tools on demand during future missions. The ISS has been equipped with a 3D printer, known as the InSPA-Auxilium Bioprinter, which has been used to print a variety of objects, including tools, spare parts, and even food.
A New Understanding of Our Sun
Using data from NASA's CODEX (Coronal Diagnostic Experiment), this animated, color-coded heat map shows temperature changes of the Sun over the course of couple days, where red indicates hotter regions and purple indicates cooler ones.
NASA/KASI/INAF/CODEX.
Dextre, attached to the ISS's Canadarm2 robotic arm, carries CODEX.
NASA.
A solar coronagraph aboard the ISS captured its first unique images detailing the Sun's outer atmosphere while measuring solar wind temperature and speed. The instrument blocks the Sun's bright light to reveal its faint outer atmosphere, or corona, where solar wind originates. Earlier experiments focused on the corona's density, but this new device enables the study of what heats and accelerates the solar wind, offering a more complete picture of how energy moves through the Sun's atmosphere.
These observations help researchers understand how solar activity affects Earth and space-based technology, such as satellites, communications networks, and power systems. The ISS has been equipped with a solar wind monitor, which has been used to study the properties of the solar wind and its impact on the ISS's systems.
Hunting for Microscopic Space Travelers
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore works outside the ISS on January 30, 2025, during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk.
NASA.
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore collected microbiological samples during a spacewalk outside the ISS. Samples were taken near the life support system vents to see if the orbital complex releases microorganisms. This experiment helps researchers examine if and how these microorganisms survive and reproduce in the harsh space environment, as well as how they may behave at destinations such as the Moon and Mars.
After returning to Earth, the samples underwent DNA extraction and sequencing. Another round of collections is planned for future spacewalks. The data could help determine whether changes are needed on crewed spacecraft and spacesuits to reduce biocontamination during missions to explore destinations where life may exist now or in the past.
A Fully Docked Space Station
Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL spacecraft is grappled by the ISS's Canadarm2. In the background, JAXA's HTV-X1 cargo craft is docked to the orbital complex.
NASA.
The ISS visiting spacecraft configuration on December 1, 2025, showing eight spacecraft parked at the orbital complex.
NASA.
For the first time in ISS history, all eight docking ports of the orbiting laboratory were occupied at once. Three crew spacecraft and five cargo resupply craft were attached to the station, including JAXA's new cargo vehicle HTV-X1 and Northrup Grumman's new Cygnus XL. The eight spacecraft delivered astronauts, cargo, and scientific experiments from around the world to be conducted in the unique microgravity environment.
This milestone highlights the ISS's evolution, inviting commercial partners and international collaboration to continue expanding the orbiting laboratory's research capabilities. The ISS has been equipped with a variety of docking ports, including the Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA) and the Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM), which have been used to dock a range of spacecraft, from crew vehicles to cargo resupply craft.
Space Station Research Meets the Moon's Surface
NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) is shown mounted to the ISS in the image on the left, and LEXI (right) is shown attached to the top of Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost in an artist's concept.
NASA/Firefly Aerospace.
Three experiments that landed on the Moon during Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission-1 were enabled by earlier research aboard the ISS. These studies help improve space weather monitoring, test computer recovery from radiation damage, and advance lunar navigation systems. The ISS has been equipped with a range of instruments, including the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) and the Lunar Exploration and Orbital Geophysics (LEXI) mission, which have been used to study the properties of the Moon and its environment.
The ISS continues to play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of the universe and driving innovation in space exploration. Its research capabilities are a springboard for humanity's future in innovation and testing the limits of what's possible. As we look to the future, we can expect the ISS to continue to push the boundaries of what's possible, enabling new discoveries and driving innovation in space exploration.
In conclusion, the ISS has been a cornerstone of human spaceflight for over two decades, serving as a unique laboratory in space that has enabled thousands of experiments and technology demonstrations. Its research capabilities are a springboard for humanity's future in innovation and testing the limits of what's possible. As we look to the future, we can expect the ISS to continue to push the boundaries of what's possible, enabling new discoveries and driving innovation in space exploration.
