Orbital science on the International Space Station

Gravity affects everything we do on Earth but we know surprisingly little about how it works and how it affects life. Until recently scientists had no way of experimenting without gravity to understand what life would be like without it.

Research in space or with facilities on Earth that recreate aspects of space bring knowledge, discoveries and improvements to our daily life and further our exploration of the Solar System. 

ESA offers many platforms for conducting experiments across the whole spectrum of scientific disciplines. You can run an experiment in a sounding rocket, drop towers, centrifuges, Antarctica and even the International Space Station.

Research on the Space Station focuses on achieving scientific discoveries, developing applications and benefitting people on Earth while preparing for future space exploration. From metal furnaces to space gardens and –80° C freezers, the Station has it all. These facilities are available to scientists across a wide range of disciplines to conduct research that cannot possibly be done on Earth.

Proposals for experiments are always welcome and can be submitted via the research announcement page: www.esa.int/spaceflightAO