Since March 2001, International Space Station has supported continuous research operations. The facility actually opened for the business of science in September 2000, when the first experiments were launched to the outpost, even prior to the start of a permanent human presence. Since that time, even as construction of ISS has continued, several dozen unique investigations have been completed or are still in progress. Most of the experiments are stored and operated in research racks inside the US Laboratory module Destiny. These investigations in a variety of research disciplines take advantage of at least two unique aspects of ISS: a long-duration platform to study effects of microgravity, and a vantage point in low-Earth orbit for observations of our home planet and the Universe. Experiments conducted to date have: studied the effects of long-duration microgravity on biological systems, including plants and the crewmembers themselves; taken advantage of long-duration microgravity to determine whether the production of various substances can be improved in space for basic science as well as possible commercial endeavors; studied various physical and chemical processes in microgravity; studied the internal and external environment of the space station; observed short- and long-term changes on Earth; and sought to educate and inspire students of various age groups. To date, the construction of ISS and the research conducted aboard have been remarkably successful. Future years will see an expansion of the facility as International Partners add their own research modules.(1)
