News & Media

Learn more about the exciting research projects and scientific discoveries in the fields of Space Biology and Physical Sciences:

Innovative Technology Measures Muscle Strength of Worms in Space to Prepare Astronauts for Future Missions

Jul 20, 2021

Loss of muscle mass and strength in astronauts remains an issue for space exploration. A NASA-funded research team has developed a new device called the NemaFlex chip to measure muscle strength over multiple generations of worms born and raised on the International Space Station (ISS).

Group photo of 6 research scientists in blue and white lab gear holding lab equipment.

NASA Selects Proposals to Provide New Insights from Openly Available Data

Jun 16, 2021

NASA’s Physical Sciences Research Program selected five ground-based proposals in response to the research announcement “Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System – Appendix G.” These five research projects, involving recognized experts in the fields of combustion science, complex fluids... Read More

Photo of male astronaut wearing green latex gloves and handling an experiment underneath a clear plastic tent.

Microscopic Superheroes to Help Protect Astronaut Health in Space

Jun 3, 2021

The tardigrade, a microscopic animal able to survive in some of the most extreme environments, is being studied aboard the International Space Station to understand how it tolerates prolonged spaceflight and how that knowledge can be used to better protect humans in space.

Small Packages with Big Benefits Aboard SpX-22

Jun 2, 2021

When the Falcon 9 rocket launches on June 3, it will be carrying thousands of pounds of cargo to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s 22nd commercial resupply services mission. Yet the last five items to be loaded will weigh less than an ounce. These include two plant and two animal... Read More

A semi-transparent image of a tardigrade against a black background. The tardigrade is plump, with four pairs of legs. The head end is at the right. Colors are used to identify the tardigrade’s internal systems.

NASA Selects Proposals to Conduct Fluid Physics Flow Boiling Experiments on the International Space Station

May 28, 2021

NASA has selected two flight proposals to conduct experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) using a new flow boiling module for the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) in support of in-space cryogenic propellant tank transfer research.

Photo of 2 spacecraft in orbit against a dark atmosphere with the moon in the background

BRIC-24: An Experiment Frozen in Time and Space

May 27, 2021

North Carolina State University’s Dr. Marcela Rojas-Pierce is working with NASA to conduct an experiment called Biological Research In Canisters-24, or BRIC-24, which focuses on a specific area of plant research: vacuoles.

NASA Marshall Research Team Soars to Success in Microgravity

May 19, 2021

Scientists from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, completed two parabolic flights April 28 and 29 to test modifications to a payload called the ring-sheared drop.

Amendment 21: E.10 Lunar Explorer Instrument for Space Biology Applications Final Text and Due Dates

May 17, 2021

E.10 Lunar Explorer Instrument for Space Biology Applications (

Can Space Gardening Help Astronauts Cope With Isolation?

May 13, 2021

Space gardening can help astronauts enhance their diet with fresh produce. A NASA study examines whether tending to plants can also uplift crew moods.

New “Moon Duster” Will Help Clean NASA Assets in Space

May 4, 2021

To help protect future space assets and astronauts from dangerous effects that arise from Moon/Mars dust exposure, NASA is developing a new technology that will utilize electron beams/ultraviolet light to remove dust.