International Space Station (ISS)
The International Space Station (ISS) with ESA’s Columbus module is a unique platform allowing research in the space environment, and in microgravity.
The ISS has an altitude of 400 km on average, providing long duration microgravity conditions. As such, it constitutes a versatile research institute and a large observation platform in outer space for scientific research and applications. It also serves as a test bed to introduce new technologies. This permanently occupied human outpost in outer space also serves as a stepping stone for further space exploration.
The ESA Columbus module is a science laboratory that is part of the International Space Station and is the largest single contribution to the ISS made by ESA. The state-of-the-art facility offers 75 cubic metres of space and contains an entire suite of research equipment. External platforms support experiments and applications in space science, Earth observation and technology. More information on Columbus can be found here.
Current research opportunities
Call for LEO Facility Definition Teams (FDTs) Membership
Deadline: October 8, 2023
Join our SciSpacE Facility Definition Teams (FDTs) to support the definition of science activities for the post-ISS era.
Call for Polish activities to fly on ISS (AO-2023-Poland)
Deadline: September 8, 2023
Through this Announcement of Opportunity (AO), ESA and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) seek proposals from Polish entities (academic and/or industry) for activities, including development. The proposed ideas should target scientific activities, technology
CORA ISS Human Research
Deadline:
Through this Continuously Open Research Announcement, ESA is soliciting for experiment proposals in Human health and research for the International Space Station.
Success Stories related to International Space Station (ISS)
Iron’s in the fire
Did you know iron could burn? The combustion of iron powder seen here is taking place on an entirely smokeless, carbon free
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Biomining in space – BioRock
The ESA BioRock experiment is looking into using microbes to build an extra-terrestrial habitat. To build a sustainable presence on the moon
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No fire in the sky: preventing an astronaut’s worst nightmare
“A risky and dangerous situation,” recalls ESA astronaut Reinhold Ewald of the in-orbit fire he experienced aboard the Mir space station back
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Space vs. materials – orbital testing outside Space Station
Space leaves its mark on materials: exposure to such a harsh environment can darken, crack or crater their surfaces – or even
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The Incredible ASIM: Distant galaxy edition
The Atmosphere–Space Interactions Monitor, or ASIM for short, is a first-of-its-kind complement of instruments on the International Space Station. Dubbed the ‘space
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Plasma medicine – how space science improves patient care
When cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev took the first plasma chamber onto the International Space Station (ISS) in 2001, to investigate complex dusty plasma
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Space foam
This picture shows one of the first images of foam formed inside the Fluid Science Laboratory in Europe’s space laboratory Columbus.
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Metallurgy. We research. You Benefit.
Did you know that in microgravity you can better study liquid metals and how they solidify? Research in space on metallurgy helps
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Boiling. We research. You benefit.
Did you know that in microgravity you can better study the boiling process? Boiling is a very common process in our everyday
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Fluid mixtures. We research. You benefit.
Did you know that in microgravity you can better study the behaviour of fluids’ mixtures when a thermal field is applied? Gravity
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Foams. We research. You benefit.
Foams are ubiquitous in our daily lives: they are used to produce food, detergents and plastics. Foams are inherently unstable in gravity,
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Aging. We research. You benefit.
Did you know that living in space has similar effects on the body to natural aging on Earth? Spaceflight research is helping
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Quantum science: shaken, driven, dropped, and flown
As quantum technology continues to shape our future, quantum entanglement remains a crucial element in unlocking valuable space applications, but how robust
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