NASA extends ISS National Lab management contract through 2030

by Mike Heuer
Washington DC (UPI) Dec 4, 2025

The Center for Advancement of Science in Space will continue to manage the International Space Station National Laboratory for at least another five years, CASIS announced on Thursday.

CASIS has managed the ISS National Lab since 2011, after Congress created it to enable researchers to build a "robust market" in low Earth orbit by leveraging the unique environment that exists in space, CASIS officials said in a news release.

"For nearly 14 years, NASA has entrusted CASIS with managing this incredible asset for our nation and for the benefit of humanity," said Ramon Lugo, principal investigator and chief executive officer of CASIS.

"We will continue to work in collaboration, pushing the limits of space-based research and development for the benefit of life on Earth while driving a robust and sustainable market economy in space," Lugo added.

The National Lab supports research and development that could not occur on Earth, according to CASIS.

Over the past 14 years, the lab has conducted research into cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging, manufacturing done in space, communications technology and more.

Private firms account for about 60% of the more than 940 scientific payloads processed by the National Lab so far, including from Fortune 500 corporations and innovative startups.

The National Lab has supported more than 630 peer-reviewed studies that establish the groundwork for future applications of significant value for humanity, according to CASIS.

Several startups have earned the Boeing- and CASIS-funded Technology in Space Prize, and CASIS in 2025 created the Orbital Edge Accelerator program that allocated $500,000 to each of six startups, with funding coming from global investment partners.

CASIS also works with the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health to support physical and life sciences studies.

The National Lab in 2024 partnered with NASA's Biological and Physical Sciences Division to award a total of $7 million to fund five projects intended to advance cancer research.

CASIS also supports education programs for students of all ages and that involve the National Lab on the ISS.

The extended National Lab management contract comes as the ISS continues supporting international space endeavors.

The ISS also is slated to receive several cargo flights from the Boeing Starliner, which encountered problems with its propulsion system during a crewed test flight last year.