NASA Highlights 2025 International Space Station Science Results
To dig deeper into research accomplishments on the International Space Station over the past year, browse highlights from the 2025 Annual Results, which NASA released in May 2026.
In 2025, researchers using the Orbiting Laboratory have conducted more than 750 investigations that have advanced the understanding of life in space, driven innovations to benefit people on Earth, and supported NASA’s exploration of the Moon and Mars.
Results include a study that could protect astronaut performance on future long-duration missions and an investigation into biomaterials aimed at advancing tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
NASA evaluated whether a miniature robotic system could perform surgical tasks in microgravity. Researchers used rubber bands to simulate surgical tasks aboard the space station, allowing them to observe communication delays from Earth and test the accuracy of robots in space during remote operations. The results showed that although timing delays increased procedure times, they had minimal impact on robotic accuracy.
This research demonstrates that precise surgical interventions could one day be carried out in space, notably on a future lunar base or on Mars. Robotic surgery also offers a compact and reliable option for performing medical procedures in remote locations on Earth.
Learn more about the robotic surgery technical demonstration
Roscosmos’ 3D magnetic bioprinter investigation used magnetic levitation to form complex tissue structures in microgravity with high precision and minimal materials. Researchers used this technique to position calcium crystals into structures that could serve as synthetic bone grafts to promote the growth of new bone. Samples formed in microgravity showed superior structural organization and high capacity for bone tissue regeneration. Astronauts experience bone loss in space and may face a higher risk of bone fractures during long-duration exploration missions.
This research could one day allow astronauts to manufacture on-demand medical treatments to treat skeletal injuries far from Earth.
NASA has examined how prolonged exposure to the vacuum of space affects the performance and durability of materials used in space exploration. Researchers exposed polymers, thermal protection systems, spacesuit components and radiation shielding materials to the space environment for six months. The research also tested several biomaterials infused with different types of melanin, a natural pigment that protects against ultraviolet rays. Materials infused with fungal melanin showed the greatest resistance to radiation damage.
Bio-based materials offer a lightweight, durable option for radiation protection on future missions beyond Earth, with potential applications on Earth in medical protection, UV defense, and radiation-resistant structures.
Learn more about the Materials International Space Station Experiment-13-NASA (MISSE-13-NASA) investigation.
A JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) investigation studied the stable operation of all solid-state lithium-ion batteries in space, including under extreme temperature variations and under vacuum. Compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries, these batteries are expected to operate over a wider temperature range, provide greater chemical stability and offer increased ignition resistance.
Researchers assembled a battery from several solid-state lithium-ion batteries in space and exposed it to space for 434 days to track performance, degradation and response to radiation. The battery showed stable electrical behavior, no signs of degradation and only a 2% capacity loss. These results demonstrate that these batteries could provide safer and more reliable power systems for missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as for use in extreme environments on Earth.
Learn more about the all-solid-state lithium-ion battery space demonstration investigation.
NASA continues to study how long-duration spaceflight affects astronauts’ ability to pilot and perform complex tasks after landing. Five experienced astronauts performed simulated landings before and after their missions to the space station. The astronauts’ results showed degraded performance after returning to Earth, including higher landing speeds and navigation errors. However, most drivers returned to baseline on a second attempt the same day.
These results suggest that long-term exposure to microgravity can temporarily diminish essential piloting skills, highlighting the need for countermeasures that help astronauts maintain their capabilities after space travel.
Learn more about NASA’s hand control investigation.
The European Space Agency studies electrical phenomena that occur above severe thunderstorms, including the colorful projections of energy and light known as sprites, blue jets and elves. The researchers combined these observations with radio measurements from ground-based receivers to confirm that powerful electrical blasts above thunderstorms can generate enough energy to trigger the elves. The team also discovered a correlation between the brightness of blue flashes and electric current, improving our ability to model energy transfer between the upper atmosphere and the edge of space.
Monitoring this activity could improve severe weather forecasting and deepen understanding of the upper atmosphere, a critical region for satellite operations and communications systems.
Learn more about the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor investigation.
During more than two decades of operations, researchers from more than 110 countries have performed more than 4,000 experiments, producing more than 5,000 scientific publications. Space station research has been cited more than 100,000 times in scientific journals.
