Record research output from orbit
NASA has published its 2025 Annual Highlights of Results from the International Space Station, documenting more than 750 scientific investigations conducted during the year. The report, released in May 2026, showcases the breadth of research that the orbital laboratory enables across multiple disciplines.
Researchers from five space agencies — NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA — collaborated on experiments spanning biology, physics, materials science, and human health. The ISS has operated continuously for over 25 years and remains the only long-duration microgravity laboratory available to scientists worldwide.
Medical breakthroughs in microgravity
Several experiments from 2025 focused on astronaut health, with findings that could also improve medical care on Earth. Researchers studied bone density loss, muscle atrophy, and radiation exposure — the main health risks of long-duration spaceflight. New monitoring technologies tested on the ISS could enable better remote medical diagnostics for both astronauts and patients in rural or isolated areas on Earth.
Advanced manufacturing experiments in microgravity produced materials with unique properties that cannot be replicated under gravity. These include fiber optics with lower signal loss and protein crystals with higher purity for pharmaceutical research.
Energy storage and future space missions
Energy storage research on the ISS in 2025 tested new battery chemistries that could support longer-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. NASA is planning the Artemis missions to return humans to the lunar surface and eventually send crews to Mars. The ISS serves as a testbed for the life support, power, and health monitoring systems these missions will need.
The Expedition 74 crew continues to operate the station, with recent cargo deliveries from Russian Progress spacecraft and ongoing maintenance activities. The 2026 ISS calendar marks 26 years of continuous human presence in space.