NASA Highlights 2025 International Space Station Science Results
Why this matters: new research or scientific developments with potential real-world impact.
In 2025, researchers using the orbital laboratory conducted more than 750 investigations that advanced understanding of life in space, drove innovations to benefit people on Earth, and supported NASA’s exploration of the Moon and Mars. Results include a study that could protect astronaut performance on future long-duration missions and a biomaterials investigation aimed at advancing tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Miniaturizing surgery The Robotic Surgery Tech Demo device is shown simulating a surgical task with rubber bands on Earth.Virtual Incision NASA evaluated whether a miniature robotic system could perform surgical tasks in microgravity. Researchers used rubber bands to simulate surgical tasks aboard the space station, allowing them to observe communication delays from Earth and test robotic precision in space during remote operations. Results showed that while timing delays increased the duration of procedures, they had minimal impact on robotic accuracy. This research demonstrates that precise surgical procedures could one day be performed in space, including at a future lunar base or on Mars. Robotic surgery also offers a compact, reliable option for performing medical procedures in remote places on Earth. Learn more about the Robotic Surgery Tech Demo Levitating bone growth Images show calcium phosphate crystals grown in space (left) and on Earth (right). Synthetic bone graft materials developed aboard the International Space Station showed strong support for bone growth and healthy tissue formation.Komlev, Biomedical Technology The Roscosmos investigation Magnetic 3D Bioprinter used magnetic levitation to form complex tissue structures in microgravity with high precision and minimal materials. Re