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Progress Continues Toward NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to Station
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By NASA
Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, left, NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi are seen inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the company’s recovery ship shortly after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, on Aug. 9, 2025.Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber After spending almost five months in space, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 astronauts will discuss their science mission aboard the International Space Station during a news conference at 4:15 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Aug. 20, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi will answer questions about their mission. The crew returned to Earth on Aug. 9.
Live coverage of the news conference will stream on the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of additional platforms, including social media.
This event is open to media to attend in person or virtually. For in-person, media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 12 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 19, at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111. Media participating by phone must dial into the news conference no later than 10 minutes prior to the start of the event to ask questions. Questions also may be submitted on social media using #AskNASA. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available on the agency’s website.
The crew spent 146 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, traveling nearly 62,795,205 million miles and completing 2,368 orbits around Earth. While living and working aboard the station, the crew completed hundreds of science experiments and technology demonstrations. The latest NASA space station news, images, and features are available on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is opening access to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. For almost 25 years, people have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies that enable us to prepare for human exploration of the Moon as we prepare for Mars.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
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Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Courtney Beasley
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Aug 14, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Commercial Crew International Space Station (ISS) ISS Research Johnson Space Center View the full article
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By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
The Research Aircraft for electric Vertical takeoff and landing Enabling techNologies Subscale Wind Tunnel and Flight Test undergoes a free flight test on the City Environment Range Testing for Autonomous Integrated Navigation range at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia on April 22, 2025.NASA/Rob Lorkiewicz Flying the friendly skies may one day include time-saving trips in air taxis to get from point A to point B – and NASA researchers are currently working to make that future a reality.
They are using wind tunnel and flight tests to gather data on an electric Vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) scaled-down small aircraft that resembles an air taxi that aircraft manufacturers can use for their own designs.
As air taxis take to the skies, engineers need real-world data on air taxi designs to better understand flight dynamics and design better flight control systems. These systems help stabilize and guide the motion of an aircraft while in flight, making sure it flies safely in various conditions.
Currently, most companies developing air taxis keep the information about how their aircraft behaves internal, so NASA is using this small aircraft to produce public, non-proprietary data available to all.
“NASA’s ability to perform high-risk flight research for increasingly automated and autonomous aircraft is really important,” said Siena Whiteside, who leads the Research Aircraft for eVTOL Enabling techNologies (RAVEN) project. “As we investigate these types of vehicles, we need to be able push the aircraft to its limits and understand what happens when an unforeseen event occurs…”
For example, Whiteside said, “…when a motor stops working. NASA is willing to take that risk and publish the data so that everyone can benefit from it.”
Researchers Jody Miller, left, and Brayden Chamberlain, right, stand by a crane that is used for tethered flight testing of the Research Aircraft for electric Vertical takeoff and landing Enabling techNologies Subscale Wind Tunnel and Flight Test at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia on Oct. 18, 2024.NASA/Ben Simmons Testing Air Taxi Tech
By using a smaller version of a full-sized aircraft called the RAVEN Subscale Wind Tunnel and Flight Test (RAVEN SWFT) vehicle, NASA is able to conduct its tests in a fast and cost-effective manner.
The small aircraft weighs 38 pounds with a wingspan of six feet and has 24 independently moving components.
Each component, called a “control effector,” can move during flight to change the aircraft’s motion – making it an ideal aircraft for advanced flight controls and autonomous flight research.
The testing is ongoing at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
Researchers first used the center’s 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel in 2024 and have since moved on to flight testing the small aircraft, piloting it remotely from the ground. During initial flight tests, the aircraft flew while tied to a tether. Now, the team performs free flights.
Lessons learned from the aircraft’s behavior in the wind tunnel helped to reduce risks during flight tests. In the wind tunnel, researchers performed tests that closely mirror the motion of real flight.
While the scale aircraft was in motion, researchers collected information about its flight characteristics, greatly accelerating the time from design to flight.
The team also could refine the aircraft’s computer control code in real time and upload software changes to it in under 5 minutes, saving them weeks and increasing the amount of data collected.
Researchers Ben Simmons, left, and Greg Howland, right, upload software changes in real time to the Research Aircraft for electric Vertical takeoff and landing Enabling techNologies Subscale Wind Tunnel and Flight Test at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia on Aug. 8, 2024, during testing in the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel.NASA/David C. Bowman Partners in Research
NASA developed the custom flight controls software for RAVEN SWFT using tools from the company MathWorks.
NASA and MathWorks are partners under a Space Act Agreement to accelerate the design and testing of flight control approaches on RAVEN SWFT, which can apply to future novel aircraft.
The work has allowed NASA’s researchers to develop new methods to reduce the time for an aircraft to achieve its first flight and become a finished product.
RAVEN SWFT serves as a steppingstone to support the development of a potential larger, 1,000 pound-class RAVEN aircraft that will resemble an air taxi.
This larger RAVEN aircraft is being designed in collaboration with Georgia Institute of Technology and also would serve as an acoustical research tool, helping engineers understand the noise air taxi-like aircraft create.
The larger aircraft would allow NASA to continue to collect data and share it openly.
By performing flight research and making its data publicly available, NASA aims to advance U.S. leadership in technology development for safe, quiet, and affordable advanced air mobility operations.
Watch this Air Taxi Tests Video
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Last Updated Aug 13, 2025 EditorJim BankeContactDiana Fitzgeralddiana.r.fitzgerald@nasa.govLocationNASA Langley Research Center Related Terms
Aeronautics Advanced Air Mobility Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Drones & You Flight Demos Capabilities Integrated Aviation Systems Program Langley Research Center NASA Aircraft Transformational Tools Technologies Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program View the full article
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By NASA
Research traveling to the International Space Station aboard NASA’s SpaceX 33rd commercial resupply mission includes testing 3D bioprinting of an implantable medical device, observing behavior of engineered liver tissues, examining microgravity’s effects on bone-forming cells, and additional 3D printing of metal in space. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch to the orbiting laboratory in late August.
For nearly 25 years, the International Space Station has provided research capabilities used by scientists from over 110 countries to conduct more than 4,000 groundbreaking experiments in microgravity. Research conducted aboard the space station advances future space exploration – including missions to the Moon and Mars – and provides multiple benefits to humanity.
Read more about some of the latest investigations headed to the orbiting lab.
Better nerve bridge
Eight implantable nerve devices printed on the space station.Auxilium Biotechnologies Scientists are creating an implantable device in microgravity that could support nerve regrowth after injuries. The device is created through bioprinting, a type of 3D printing that uses living cells or proteins as raw materials.
Traumatic injuries can leave a gap between nerves, and existing treatments have limited ability to restore nerve function and may result in impaired physical function. A bioprinted device to bridge the nerve gap could accelerate recovery and preserve function.
“On this mission, we plan to print up to 18 of the implants and anticipate using them in preclinical studies on the ground in 2026 and 2027,” said Jacob Koffler, principal investigator at Auxilium Biotechnologies Inc in San Diego. Tissues bioprinted in microgravity may be higher quality than those made on Earth and results could support future manufacturing of medical devices in space for crew members on space missions and patients on Earth.
Bioprinted tissues with blood vessels
A researcher holds vascularized tissue bioprinted on the ground for study in space.The Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine Researchers plan to bioprint liver tissue containing blood vessels on the ground and examine how the tissue develops in microgravity. Results could help support the eventual production of entire functional organs for transplantation on Earth.
A previous mission tested whether this type of bioprinted liver tissue survived and functioned in space, according to James Yoo, principal investigator at the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem. This round could show whether microgravity improves development of the bioprinted tissue.
“We are especially keen on accelerating the development of vascular networks in the tissue,” Yoo said. Vascular networks produce the blood vessels needed to keep these tissues functional and healthy.
Blocking bone loss
A microscopic image of stem cells derived from human bone marrow stained with red dye.Mayo Clinic A study of bone-forming stem cells in microgravity could provide insight into the basic mechanisms of the bone loss astronauts experience during space flight.
Researchers identified a protein in the body called IL-6 that can send signals to stem cells to promote either bone formation or bone loss. This work evaluates whether blocking IL-6 signals could reduce bone loss during spaceflight.
“If we are successful, the compound also can be evaluated for the treatment of conditions associated with bone loss on Earth, such as osteoporosis and certain types of cancers,” said Abba Zubair, principal investigator at the Mayo Clinic in Florida.
Space printing goes metal
Metal specimens printed on the ground for ESA’s Metal 3D Printer investigation.Airbus Defence and Space SAS As mission duration and distance from Earth increase, resupply becomes harder. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing could be used to make parts and dedicated tools on demand, enhancing mission autonomy.
Research on the space station has made great strides in 3D printing with plastic, but it is not suitable for all uses. The ESA (European Space Agency) Metal 3D Printer investigation builds on recent successful printing of the first metal parts in space.
“We’ll print several small cubes using different strategies to help determine the optimal approach for metal printers in space,” said Rob Postema, ESA technical officer. Quality of the space-printed items will be compared against reference prints made on the ground.
This investigation is a continuation of ESA’s efforts to develop in-space manufacturing and materials recycling capabilities. The ESA investigation team includes Airbus Defence and Space SAS and the User Support Centre CADMOS in France.
Download high-resolution photos and videos of the research mentioned in this article.
Learn more about the research aboard the International Space Station at:
www.nasa.gov/iss-science
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By NASA
3 Min Read Space Station Cell Studies
Cells grown aboard the International Space Station. Credits: University of Connecticut Science in Space August 2025
Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things, from single-celled bacteria to plants and animals containing vast numbers of them. Cells have adapted for a wide variety of settings and functions. Nerve cells in humans and animals, for example, have long, thin extensions that rapidly transmit signals, while rigid, blocky cells support the structure of plants.
Cell biology is the study of cell structure, function, and behavior. For humans, scientists in this field explore the mechanisms of diseases from bone loss to cancer and work on developing treatments.
Cell-based experiments on The International Space Station help identify how spaceflight affects people and other living systems, with applications for future space exploration and life on Earth.
JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa prepares to examine cells for Cell Gravisensing in the JAXA Confocal Microscope (COSMIC).NASA Recent experiments have revealed that individual animal cells react to the effects of gravity, but how they do so is largely unknown. Cell Gravisensing, an investigation from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), examines the molecular mechanism behind the ability of cells to sense gravity. Results could support development of drugs to treat muscle atrophy and osteoporosis in space and on Earth.
Cardiovascular cells
Microscopic view of cells from the lining of blood vessels cultured for the STaARS BioScience-3 experiment. University of Florida In microgravity, some astronauts experience changes in their cardiovascular system, including reduced blood volume and diminished cardiac output. An earlier investigation, STaARS Bioscience-3, examined the mechanisms behind these changes at the cellular and genetic level. The research revealed that, after only three days of spaceflight, there were changes in the expression of more than 11,000 genes in blood vessel cells that could alter their functions. The results laid the groundwork for additional research into cell response to spaceflight that could help protect the health of crew members on future missions and people with cardiovascular diseases on Earth.
Neural cells
STaARS BioScience-4 examined microgravity’s effects on neural stem cells that give rise to central nervous system cells. Researchers found changes in production and consumption of energy and increased breakdown of cellular components in these cells, responses that likely enhance adaptation to microgravity. The finding also highlights the importance of providing astronauts with sufficient energy for cognitive and physiological function on future missions.
Fish cells
A preflight image of samples and sample chambers for the Fish Scales investigation. Mitchell/Prange Goldfish scales have many of the same proteins, minerals, and cell types as the bones of mammals. The JAXA Fish Scales investigation analyzed goldfish scales exposed to three times Earth’s gravity, simulated microgravity, and microgravity on orbit. Researchers determined that goldfish scales can be used as a model to help them understand how human bones respond to spaceflight.
Mouse cells
Research with model organisms like rodents has relevance to humans in space and makes significant contributions to understanding human aging, disease, and the effects of microgravity on biological and physical processes. JAXA’s Stem Cells studied how spaceflight affected the DNA and chromosomes of embryonic mouse stem cells, and their ability to develop into adult mice after return to Earth.
Researchers analyzed unaltered cells and cells given a mutation to increase responsiveness to radiation. They found no chromosomal differences between the unaltered space-flown cells and ground controls, but the mutated cells had more DNA abnormalities. The work could enhance the understanding of radiation effects on human cancer and improve risk assessment for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars.
NASA astronauts Drew Morgan and Christina Koch work on rodent research hardware. NASA Another study used tissue samples from RR-1, which are available through NASA’s GeneLab open data repository. Analysis showed that the heart can adapt to the stress of spaceflight in just 30 days. The researchers observed genetic changes suggesting that this adaptation may facilitate survival in space and could have applications in treating heart disease in space and on Earth.
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