The 10th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) will feature a session looking at the future of the orbiting laboratory. The session, “The Next Decade of ISS Research,” will include representatives from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory, and NASA, as well as international collaborators, all of whom are instrumental in the evaluation of research priorities in space. The session will be moderated by Jeff Foust, senior science writer at Space News, who led a discussion at last year’s ISSRDC that was focused on research priorities and opportunities available through the ISS National Lab. ISSRDC, which is hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, NASA, and the American Astronautical Society, will be held virtually August 3-5.

NASEM has already begun looking into the future of ISS research with the recent kickoff of their next Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences Research in Space for the years 2023-2032. The resulting report, which relies on the input of scientists from around the world, will summarize the state of the industry, identify research priorities, and help guide biological and physical sciences research in space in the coming decade.

During the ISSRDC session, the following panelists will discuss the impact of research and development conducted on the space station, future research endeavors, and the value that space-based science brings to humanity, both on and off our planet.

  • Krystyn J. Van Vliet, Ph.D., Michael and Sonja Koerner Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT; Co-Chair of the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences Research in Space
  • Doug Matson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Tufts; ISS National Lab User Advisory Committee Chair
  • Tara Ruttley, Ph.D., Associate Chief Scientist for Microgravity Research, NASA
  • Thomas Driebe, Ph.D., Head of Physical Sciences, German Aerospace Center
  • Richard Hughson, Ph.D., Schlegel Research Chair in Vascular Aging and Brain Health, Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging; Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

To date, the space station has supported more than 2,500 research experiments in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division is tasked with enabling research that will make it possible for humans to eventually live and work beyond low Earth orbit while supporting technologies that safely allow for the transport of astronauts to the Moon and eventually Mars. The ISS National Lab is responsible for supporting research and technology development that brings value to our nation and enables a robust and sustainable market in low Earth orbit.

Registration for ISSRDC 2021 is now open. The virtual conference is free to attend, but registration is required. Additional information about ISSRDC 2021 will be made available in the coming weeks. To register for free, please visit www.issconference.org. 

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About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory: The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Lab allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the ISS National Lab, under cooperative agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit www.ISSNationalLab.org.