Space Station Extension Expands Research Horizons

Image Caption: The International Space Station, seen here from the vantage point of the crew of the 2010 STS-130 space shuttle mission, completed more than 1,500 investigations during its first 15 years in orbit. Credit: NASA

April Flowers for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

For nearly everything on Earth, a little room to grow can make all the difference. That is true in space, as well. The Obama Administration has announced support for extending the International Space Stations (ISS) mission to 2024, giving the project room to flourish. The extra decade will allow the ISS to continue its already fruitful microgravity research mission offering scientists and engineers the time needed to ensure the future of exploration, scientific discoveries and economic development.

As NASA Administrator Charles Bolden stated in a January 8 blog post, The [space station] is a unique facility that offers enormous scientific and societal benefits. The Obama Administrations decision to extend its life until at least 2024 will allow us to maximize its potential, deliver critical benefits to our nation and the world, and maintain American leadership in space.

By prolonging the testing timeframe for essential technologies related to long-duration journeys, the extension will provide more traction for space exploration such as to an asteroid or Mars. Designs for future spacecraft will be refined by the optimization of systems like the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS).

I really see the space station as the first step in exploration, NASA Associate Administrator William Gerstenmaier told Jessica Nimon of International Space Station Program Science Office. It is gaining us operational experience in a distant location, well beyond the Earth, at 75,000 km off the surface of the moon. Those are the kind of experience, technology and hardware that we need to go to Mars, so all that feeds forward.

ISS researchers are showing that space exploration is hardly limited to space travel with microgravity research. The next decade will allow those scientists time for research planning and to make the most of facilities being built today. The ready-to-use suite of facilities already aboard the ISS opens opportunities to run studies that will include extended chances for follow-up investigations enabling results from station science not formerly possible and increasing the collective knowledge in various disciplines. The impact of science results typically emerge over a five to ten year period, making this an attractive incentive for new researchers.

For 14 years, the space station has had a continuous human presence, allowing breakthroughs in science and technology not possible on Earth, said Sam Scimemi, NASAs International Space Station director. The ability to extend our window of discovery through at least 2024 presents important new opportunities to develop the tools we need for future missions to deep space while reaping large benefits for humanity.

A wide variety of investigations will begin, continue and complete over the next ten years in orbitfrom advancements in astrophysics from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and the Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) to climate studies using the Earth remote sensing instruments, which can also assist with disaster recovery efforts.

Researchers also anticipate developments from the upcoming 1-year mission and biology studies, such as T-Cell Act in Aging, which will help people with related health concerns on Earth as well as the scientists. There will be favorable advances for industries as well, with applications to fundamental physics investigations, such as microgravity fluid physics and combustion tests.

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Space Station Extension Expands Research Horizons