Factors Affecting the Utilization of the International Space Station for Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences (2003)

Summary: In the spring of 2001, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it would make major changes in the final configuration of the International Space Station (ISS) in order to address serious construction cost overruns. Some concerns have arisen within the science community and elsewhere that these changes would jeopardize the ability of the ISS to support the world-class science that has often been cited as its primary purpose. This report examines the factors, including ISS design changes, that limit the ability of the science community to utilize the ISS for research and makes recommendations for maximizing the ISS’s research potential.