Launched on 20 November 1998, the International Space Station has been the hub for a variety of space-bourne research. However, similar research is also being conducted here on Earth, giving rise to the question of the relative value of research onboard the ISS.
Space Research Versus Earth Research
In a recently published study, Columbia Business School PhD student Max Wang and Redwire Chief Scientist Ken Savin compared the value of research in ISS and on Earth. Redwire provided financial backing for the study. The core question of this study is whether experiments conducted in space have more impact than those done here on Earth. It also looked to discover the drive for such impact, if any exists.
Wang and Savin gathered information on over 1339 experiments conducted aboard the ISS between 2000 and 2022. They were also able to gather information on the 183 US companies taking part in these experiments. For better comparison, they also identified 384 peer-reviewed biomedical and life sciences publications as well as 98 patents connected to the 1339 experiments.
Armed with this wide range of data for space research, Wang and Savin went on to match each ISS research with one from Earth and find similar data for the Earth-based experiments.
Comparing the sets of collected data revealed 41% more citations for ISS papers than similar Earth papers and 63% more citations for public-sector ISS papers than Earth counterparts. Regarding the patents, those from the ISS got 67% more citations than those from Earth, and ISS patents from public collaborators got 82% more citations than those from Earth. The report authors note that, “space research is not just a frontier of exploration, but also a practical engine of innovation that delivers measurable benefits back to society.”
These findings prove that space research aboard the ISS holds more value than that conducted here on Earth. Over the years, there has not only been a boost in public but also private sector participation in ISS experiments.
Space Research Proves Itself Useful
Over the past few months, reports on cuts to NASA’s budget and decommissioning the ISS have been making headlines. This research from Wang and Savin attempts to shed more light on the benefits of research conducted aboard the ISS.