2025 marks another year pushing the boundaries of scientific research aboard the International Space Station. This past year, over 750 investigations were conducted aboard the space station, supported by crewed missions and resupply vehicles delivering essential cargo and experiments to the orbiting laboratory. This year’s research included testing DNA’s ability to store data, producing vital nutrients on demand, demonstrating technology for space debris removal and satellite maintenance, advancing next-generation medicines, and more. Astronauts visited the space station from across the globe to continue research benefiting humanity on Earth and paving the way for future exploration missions, including NASA’s Artemis program to return humanity to the Moon. On Nov. 2, 2025, NASA and its international partners surpassed 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the space station, showcasing humanity’s dedication to space exploration and scientific discovery. Over a million images were taken aboard the space station this year, documenting groundbreaking research, observing Earth from space, and even capturing comets and other celestial phenomenon. Rewind and look back at a photo recap of 2025 aboard the space station.
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NASA ID
Best_Science_Images_2025-16x9
Date Created
December 29, 2025
Center
JSC
Media Type
video
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Captions
Subtitles
Microgravity
Jan 31, 2000
Sample Cartridge Assembly (SCA) Project Group Photograph
Jan 30, 2020
Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments, ACME chamber insert
Jun 22, 2016
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Center Director Roy Bridges (left), Program Manager of the International Space Station (ISS) Randy Brinkley (second from left) and STS-98 Commander Ken Cockrell (right) applaud the unveiling of the name "Destiny" for the U.S. Laboratory module. The lab, which is behnd them on a workstand, is scheduled to be launched on STS-98 on Space Shuttle Endeavour in early 2000. It will become the centerpiece of scientific research on the ISS. The Shuttle will spend six days docked to the Station while the laboratory is attached and three spacewalks are conducted to compete its assembly. The laboratory will be launched with five equipment racks aboard, which will provide essential functions for Station systems, including high data-rate communications, and maintain the Station's orientation using control gyroscopes launched earlier. Additional equipment and research racks will be installed in the laboratory on subsequent Shuttle flights.
Dec 1, 1998