Jump to content
Join the Alien Search, login or register FREE on Aliens and Space Forum
Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site

Space Station Research Advances NASA’s Plans to Explore the Moon, Mars

NASA

By NASA
in NASA

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Publishers
NASA Mentor

NASA

Posted
  • Publishers
Posted
4 Min Read

Space Station Research Advances NASA’s Plans to Explore the Moon, Mars

The full moon is pictured as the International Space Station orbited 254 miles above the Pacific Ocean northeast of Guam.
The full moon is pictured as the International Space Station orbited 254 miles above the Pacific Ocean northeast of Guam.
Credits: NASA

Space, the saying goes, is hard. And the farther humans go, the harder it can get.

Some of the challenges on missions to explore the Moon and Mars include preventing microbial contamination of these destinations, navigating there safely, protecting crew members and hardware from radiation, and maintaining and repairing equipment.

Research on the International Space Station is helping NASA scientists develop tools and processes to ensure success on these important missions. Here are highlights from some of the investigations making space a little easier.

Tracking Tiny Stowaways

Bacteria and fungi live in and on all humans and all around us on Earth. Most of these microorganisms are beneficial or harmless but introducing them to other celestial bodies could adversely affect our ability to study ecosystems on those other worlds.

Crew members will conduct a spacewalk to collect samples near space station life support system vents for ISS External Microorganisms, an investigation to assess whether the orbiting laboratory releases microorganisms into space. Results could provide insight into the potential for organisms to survive and reproduce in space and help researchers determine which microbes would most likely contaminate other planetary bodies visited by crewed missions.

Underwater at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab pool, Glover is wearing a white spacesuit and helmet as he uses a tool in his right hand and holds on to a rail with his left hand. A black box of circular sample containers is attached to the front of his suit.
NASA astronaut Victor Glover trains for the ISS External Microorganisms spacewalk in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory pool at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA

A miniature, hand-held digital microscope designed to make in-flight medical diagnoses, the Moon Microscope, also can test water, food, and surfaces for contamination. The device images samples at high resolution and processes data on web-enabled devices such as phones or tablets. Multiple users can access the microscope simultaneously, and some applications run autonomously.

Getting There and Back

Spacecraft must have sophisticated high-tech systems for navigating. Sextant Navigation tests the function of sextants in microgravity as an emergency backup navigation technique for Artemis and other future exploration missions. These mechanical devices have guided navigators for centuries, and Gemini and Apollo missions demonstrated they were useful for astronauts.

Gerst, wearing a short-sleeved black t-shirt and a watch on his left wrist, holds the sextant up to his right eye as he faces a window in the cupola. The black device has a sighting eye piece and a curved positioning piece across the bottom that Gerst is adjusting with his left hand. There is a laptop behind him and a sheet of instructions in front of him.
Astronaut Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) tests the Sextant Navigation device.
NASA

Refining Radiation Detection

Missions beyond low Earth orbit increase exposure to radiation, which can pose a hazard to human health and interfere with equipment operation. As NASA prepares for future missions, providing adequate protection is vital.

The Hybrid Electronic Radiation Assessor, or HERA, was built to serve as a primary radiation detection system for the Orion spacecraft, which will carry crews into orbit around the Moon. The International Space Station Hybrid Electronic Radiation Assessor investigation modified the system to operate on the space station to provide researchers input for use on future exploration missions.

Artemis HERA on Space Station further modified the radiation detection system so researchers could continue to evaluate the hardware in the space radiation environment prior to Artemis II.

Pesquet, wearing a red polo, green pants, and a black belt, holds a rectangular black device smaller than a cell phone in his right hand. An ESA flag is visible over his left shoulder, equipment and storage bags to his right, and several laptops and cables to his left.
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet holds a mobile unit for the ESA-Active-Dosimeters experiment.
NASA

Active-Dosimeters, an investigation led by ESA (European Space Agency), tested a wearable system to measure radiation exposure to crew members on the space station and how it changes with the station’s orbit and altitude. Data from the wearable dosimeter improved radiation risk assessments and could lead to better protection for astronauts, including the ability to quickly respond to changes in exposure throughout future exploration missions.

Robot Helpers

On future exploration missions, robotic technology can help crew members with basic tasks, monitor and maintain equipment, and conduct operations such as sample collection, reducing the need to expose astronauts to harsh environments. Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking demonstrates using autonomous robots to transfer and unpack cargo and to track and respond to maintenance issues such as leaks and fires, which could protect valuable equipment and reduce costly repairs on future missions. The investigation uses the space station’s Astrobee and Robonaut robots.

Cassidy, wearing a blue polo shirt and khaki shorts, holds the yellow Astrobee in his left hand as he reaches for a clipboard with his right hand. Also visible is the blue Astrobee in the docking station to his right, a round white hatch behind him, and a string of small flags just above his head.
NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy sets up a test with an Astrobee robotic assistant.
NASA

Multi-Resolution Scanning uses the station’s Astrobees to test sensors and robotics to support automated 3D sensing, mapping, and situational awareness functions. On future Gateway and lunar surface missions, such systems could automatically detect defects and conduct remote maintenance and autonomous operation of vehicles such as rovers.

Cristoforetti, wearing a gray sweatshirt and a headset, looks at a computer screen in front of her as she works a joystick with her left hand and holds a white control arm with her right hand.
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti practices maneuvers for the Surface Avatar investigation.
NASA

Surface Avatar evaluates crew operation of multiple autonomous robots in space. The investigation also assesses crew member responsiveness to feedback on the consoles used to operate robots remotely, which supports design of effective setups for operating robots on the ground from a spacecraft orbiting above. Results contribute to the development of other uses of robotic assistance such as returning samples from Mars and asteroids.

Melissa Gaskill
International Space Station Research Communications Team
NASA’s Johnson Space Center

Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above.

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics

Space Station Research and Technology

iss064e015250.jpg?w=1024

Station Science 101: Biology and Biotechnology

Radishes-in-the-APH.jpg?w=1536

Living in Space

meir-2.png?w=370

Artemis

Artemis-I.jpg?w=1024

Share

Details

Last Updated
May 30, 2024

Related Terms

View the full article

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Similar Topics

    • Amazing Space
      🔴 LIVE: Earth From Space RIGHT NOW - ISS HD Camera Views | 24/7 Space Station Feed
      By Amazing Space
      🔴 LIVE: Earth From Space RIGHT NOW - ISS HD Camera Views | 24/7 Space Station Feed
    • NASA
      An Update From the 2025 Mars 2020 Science Team Meeting
      By NASA
      Explore This Section Perseverance Home Mission Overview Rover Components Mars Rock Samples Where is Perseverance? Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Mission Updates Science Overview Objectives Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Perseverance Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 3 min read
      An Update From the 2025 Mars 2020 Science Team Meeting
      A behind-the-scenes look at the annual Mars 2020 Science Team Meeting
      Members of the Mars 2020 Science Team examine post-impact sediments within the Gardnos impact structure, northwest of Oslo, Norway, as part of the June 2025 Science Team Meeting. NASA/Katie Stack Morgan Written by Katie Stack Morgan, Mars 2020 Acting Project Scientist 
      The Mars 2020 Science Team gathered for a week in June to discuss recent science results, synthesize earlier mission observations, and discuss future plans for continued exploration of Jezero’s crater rim. It was also an opportunity to celebrate what makes this mission so special: one of the most capable and sophisticated science missions ever sent to Mars, an experienced and expert Science Team, and the rover’s many science accomplishments this past year.  
      We kicked off the meeting, which was hosted by our colleagues on the RIMFAX team at the University of Oslo, with a focus on our most recent discoveries on the Jezero crater rim. A highlight was the team’s in-depth discussion of spherules observed at Witch Hazel Hill, features which likely provide us the best chance of determining the origin of the crater rim rock sequence.   
      On the second day, we heard status updates from each of the science instrument teams. We then transitioned to a session devoted to “traverse-scale” syntheses. After 4.5 years of Perseverance on Mars and more than 37 kilometers of driving (more than 23 miles), we’re now able to analyze and integrate science datasets across the entire surface mission, looking for trends through space and time within the Jezero rock record. Our team also held a poster session, which was a great opportunity for in-person and informal scientific discussion.  
      The team’s modern atmospheric and environmental investigations were front and center on Day 3. We then rewound the clock, hearing new and updated analyses of data acquired during Perseverance’s earlier campaigns in Jezero’s Margin unit, crater floor, and western fan. The last day of the meeting was focused entirely on future plans for the Perseverance rover, including a discussion of our exploration and sampling strategy during the Crater Rim Campaign. We also looked further afield, considering where the rover might explore over the next few years.  
      Following the meeting, the Science Team took a one-day field trip to visit Gardnos crater, a heavily eroded impact crater with excellent examples of impact melt breccia and post-impact sediment fill. The team’s visit to Gardnos offered a unique opportunity to see and study impact-generated rock units like those expected on the Jezero crater rim and to discuss the challenges we have recognizing similar units with the rover on Mars. Recapping our Perseverance team meetings has been one of my favorite yearly traditions (see summaries from our 2022, 2023, and 2024 meetings) and I look forward to reporting back a year from now. As the Perseverance team tackles challenges in the year to come, we can seek inspiration from one of Norway’s greatest polar explorers, Fridtjof Nansen, who said while delivering his Nobel lecture, “The difficult is that which can be done at once; the impossible is that which takes a little longer.”
      Share








      Details
      Last Updated Jul 01, 2025 Related Terms
      Blogs Explore More
      2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4584–4585: Just a Small Bump


      Article


      1 hour ago
      4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4582-4583: A Rock and a Sand Patch


      Article


      3 days ago
      2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4580-4581: Something in the Air…


      Article


      5 days ago
      Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
      Mars


      Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited…


      All Mars Resources


      Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,…


      Rover Basics


      Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a…


      Mars Exploration: Science Goals


      The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four…

      View the full article
    • Amazing Space
      Backyard Astronomy: LIVE Streaming the Moon 1st July
      By Amazing Space
      Backyard Astronomy: LIVE Streaming the Moon 1st July
    • Amazing Space
      Backyard Astronomy: LIVE Streaming the Moon 1st July
      By Amazing Space
      Backyard Astronomy: LIVE Streaming the Moon 1st July
    • NASA
      NASA Assigns Astronaut Anil Menon to First Space Station Mission
      By NASA
      NASA astronaut Anil Menon poses for a portrait at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel NASA astronaut Anil Menon will embark on his first mission to the International Space Station, serving as a flight engineer and Expedition 75 crew member.
      Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft in June 2026, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. After launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the trio will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbiting laboratory.
      During his expedition, Menon will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future space missions and benefit humanity.
      Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021, Menon graduated with the 23rd astronaut class in 2024. After completing initial astronaut candidate training, he began preparing for his first space station flight assignment.
      Menon was born and raised in Minneapolis and is an emergency medicine physician, mechanical engineer, and colonel in the United States Space Force. He holds a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, and a medical degree from Stanford University in California. Menon completed his emergency medicine and aerospace medicine residency at Stanford and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
      In his spare time, he still practices emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann’s Texas Medical Center and teaches residents at the University of Texas’ residency program. Menon served as SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, helping to launch the first crewed Dragon spacecraft on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission and building SpaceX’s medical organization to support humans on future missions. He served as a crew flight surgeon for both SpaceX flights and NASA expeditions aboard the space station.
      For nearly 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and conducting critical research for the benefit of humanity and our home planet. Space station research supports the future of human spaceflight as NASA looks toward deep space missions to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and in preparation for future human missions to Mars, as well as expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond. 
      Learn more about International Space Station at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/station
      -end-
      Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1100
      joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov

      Shaneequa Vereen
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      shaneequa.y.vereen@nasa.gov   
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Jul 01, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      Astronauts Humans in Space International Space Station (ISS) ISS Research View the full article

  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...