The International Space Station (ISS) serves as a unique platform for conducting scientific research in the microgravity environment of low Earth orbit. To help potential researchers understand how to translate their ground-based experiments to the ISS, NASA’s ISS Program Research Integration Office has published a comprehensive 17-book Researcher’s Guide Series. This series covers a wide range of disciplines and provides valuable information on finding research opportunities, developing proposals, and conducting experiments on the ISS. Each of the researcher’s guides are summarized below:
Researcher’s Guide for Acceleration Environment
The Researcher’s Guide for Acceleration Environment offers insights into the unique acceleration environment experienced on the ISS. It covers topics such as microgravity, vibrations, and the effects of various ISS operations on experiments. Researchers can use this guide to design experiments that account for the specific acceleration conditions present on the station.
Researcher’s Guide for Cellular Biology
The Researcher’s Guide for Cellular Biology focuses on the opportunities and challenges of conducting cellular biology research on the ISS. It provides information on available hardware, sample preparation, and data collection techniques. This guide helps researchers understand how the space environment affects cellular processes and how to design experiments to study these effects.
Researcher’s Guide for Combustion Science
The Researcher’s Guide for Combustion Science explores the unique aspects of combustion research in microgravity. It covers topics such as flame behavior, fuel droplet combustion, and fire safety on the ISS. Researchers can use this guide to design experiments that take advantage of the microgravity environment to study combustion phenomena.
Researcher’s Guide for Earth Observations
The Researcher’s Guide for Earth Observations highlights the capabilities of the ISS as a platform for Earth observation research. It provides information on available instruments, data processing, and applications in fields such as atmospheric science, oceanography, and land surface studies. This guide helps researchers leverage the ISS’s unique vantage point to study Earth’s systems.
Researcher’s Guide for Fluid Physics
The Researcher’s Guide for Fluid Physics focuses on the opportunities for studying fluid behavior in microgravity. It covers topics such as capillary flow, multiphase systems, and heat transfer. Researchers can use this guide to design experiments that explore the fundamental principles of fluid physics in the absence of gravity-driven convection.
Researcher’s Guide for Fruit Fly Research
The Researcher’s Guide for Fruit Fly Research provides information on using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model organism for research on the ISS. It covers topics such as habitat design, life cycle management, and genetic studies. This guide helps researchers leverage the advantages of fruit flies for studying the effects of spaceflight on living organisms.
Researcher’s Guide for Fundamental Physics
The Researcher’s Guide for Fundamental Physics explores the opportunities for conducting fundamental physics research on the ISS. It covers topics such as atomic physics, quantum mechanics, and general relativity. Researchers can use this guide to design experiments that probe the fundamental laws of physics in the unique environment of space.
Researcher’s Guide for Human Research
The Researcher’s Guide for Human Research focuses on the opportunities and challenges of conducting human research on the ISS. It covers topics such as crew health, physiological adaptations to spaceflight, and psychological studies. This guide helps researchers design experiments that investigate the effects of long-duration spaceflight on human health and performance.
Researcher’s Guide for Macromolecular Crystal Growth
The Researcher’s Guide for Macromolecular Crystal Growth provides information on using the ISS for protein crystallization experiments. It covers topics such as sample preparation, hardware options, and data analysis. Researchers can use this guide to design experiments that take advantage of the microgravity environment to grow high-quality protein crystals for structural studies.
Researcher’s Guide for Materials Science
The Researcher’s Guide for Materials Science explores the opportunities for studying materials in the unique environment of the ISS. It covers topics such as solidification, diffusion, and phase transformations. This guide helps researchers design experiments that investigate the fundamental principles of materials science and develop new materials with enhanced properties.
Researcher’s Guide for Microbial Research
The Researcher’s Guide for Microbial Research focuses on the opportunities for studying microorganisms on the ISS. It covers topics such as microbial growth, adaptation, and interactions in the space environment. Researchers can use this guide to design experiments that explore the behavior and potential applications of microbes in space.
Researcher’s Guide for Physical Sciences
The Researcher’s Guide for Physical Sciences provides an overview of the opportunities for conducting physical sciences research on the ISS. It covers a wide range of disciplines, including fluid dynamics, combustion, and materials science. This guide helps researchers identify the unique capabilities of the ISS for advancing their research in the physical sciences.
Researcher’s Guide for Plant Science
The Researcher’s Guide for Plant Science focuses on the opportunities for studying plant growth and development on the ISS. It covers topics such as plant habitats, environmental control, and gene expression studies. Researchers can use this guide to design experiments that investigate the effects of spaceflight on plant physiology and explore the potential for plant-based life support systems.
Researcher’s Guide for Rodent Research
The Researcher’s Guide for Rodent Research provides information on using rodents as model organisms for research on the ISS. It covers topics such as habitat design, animal care, and experimental protocols. This guide helps researchers leverage the advantages of rodents for studying the effects of spaceflight on mammalian physiology and behavior.
Researcher’s Guide for Space Biology
The Researcher’s Guide for Space Biology offers a comprehensive overview of the opportunities for conducting biological research on the ISS. It covers a wide range of topics, including cell biology, microbiology, plant science, and animal research. Researchers can use this guide to identify the unique capabilities of the ISS for advancing their research in space biology.
Researcher’s Guide for Technology Demonstration
The Researcher’s Guide for Technology Demonstration focuses on the opportunities for testing and validating new technologies on the ISS. It covers topics such as hardware development, integration, and operations. This guide helps researchers and technology developers leverage the ISS as a testbed for innovative technologies that can benefit future space exploration and Earth-based applications.
Researcher’s Guide for Payload Developers
The Researcher’s Guide for Payload Developers provides essential information for researchers and engineers involved in developing payloads for the ISS. It covers topics such as payload design, safety requirements, and integration processes. This guide helps payload developers navigate the complex process of designing, building, and operating experiments on the ISS.
Summary
The NASA ISS Researcher’s Guide Series is an invaluable resource for researchers and scientists interested in conducting experiments on the International Space Station. By providing comprehensive information and guidance across various scientific disciplines, these guides empower researchers to take advantage of the unique opportunities offered by the ISS. Through the ISS Researcher’s Guide Series, NASA aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and scientific discovery in the pursuit of advancing our understanding of the universe and improving life on Earth.
