ON-ORBIT RESEARCH

ADVANCING HUMANITY'S ABILITY TO LIVE AND WORK IN SPACE

As the world's leading launch service provider, SpaceX enables researchers the opportunity to frequently fly critical science to orbit on the Dragon spacecraft, which has carried over 1,000 research experiments to and from low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station since 2012.

REDUCING IN-FLIGHT HEALTH RISKS

Conducting research to understand mental and physical impacts while on-orbit

VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY

Exploring how a digital realm can improve training, physical fitness, and mental wellbeing

MEDICAL CARE
AND
TRAINING

Advancing available medical care with exploration of just-in-time training and tools

DEVELOP YOUR RESEARCH

SpaceX is looking for exceptional science and research ideas that will enable life in space and on other planets. Research proposals submitted to SpaceX will be reviewed and evaluated based on mission objectives, scientific and technical merit, and feasibility.

Submit Proposal
Submit your research idea to SpaceX
Complete Research Plan
Accepted ideas will be invited to submit a detailed plan
Development
SpaceX and selected teams work to identify mission opportunities and ready experiments
Certification & Crew Training
Certify hardware for flight, train crews, and collect baseline data
Launch!
SpaceX will work closely with research teams while experiments are on-orbit
Return
Unload experiments for immediate analysis, review, and data collection
Submit Proposal
Complete Research Plan
Development
Certification & Crew Training
Launch!
Return
Submit your research idea to SpaceX
Accepted ideas will be invited to submit a detailed plan
SpaceX and selected teams work to identify mission opportunities and ready experiments
Certify hardware for flight, train crews, and collect baseline data
SpaceX will work closely with research teams while experiments are on-orbit
Unload experiments for immediate analysis, review, and data collection

CURRENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

SpaceX is currently evaluating research proposals for Dragon human spaceflight missions on the following two categories:

FITNESS-FOCUSED
RESEARCH

Innovative solutions to increase efficiency and effectiveness, specifically focused on time efficiencies, resources required, equipment and protocols, and efficacy assessments

EXPLORATION-FOCUSED
RESEARCH

Studies assessing tools that enhance health and well-being during long-duration missions, specifically focused on medical capabilities, virtual or augmented reality as a multipurpose tool, inflight health, and just-in-time training
SUBMIT PROPOSAL

CURRENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

SpaceX is currently evaluating research proposals for Dragon human spaceflight missions on the following two categories:

FITNESS-FOCUSED
RESEARCH

Innovative solutions to increase efficiency and effectiveness, specifically focused on time efficiencies, resources required, equipment and protocols, and efficacy assessments

EXPLORATION-FOCUSED
RESEARCH

Studies assessing tools that enhance health and well-being during long-duration missions, specifically focused on medical capabilities, virtual or augmented reality as a multipurpose tool, inflight health, and just-in-time training