Report: NASA Research and Utilization Plan for the International Space Station
This Research and Utilization Plan presents the mission of the International Space Station (ISS), and describes the scientific investigations, strategic research, commercial opportunities, and technology developments to be accomplished.
This plan was prepared in response to Congressional direction (Public Law No: 109-155) for a “research plan for NASA utilization of the ISS and the proposed final configuration of the ISS, including an identification of microgravity research that can be performed in ground-based facilities and then validated in space, and an assessment of the impact of having or not having a life science centrifuge aboard the ISS.”
It should be noted that this report does not address the plan for operating a segment of the ISS as a “national laboratory” (ref. section 507 of Public Law No: 109-155); that topic will be addressed in a separate report to Congress.
Also, this report is not intended to address the comments and recommendations made by the National Research Council in their publication, Review of NASA Plans for the International Space Station (2006). Those items will be addressed in a separate response to the Council.
