The Open Science Data Repository (OSDR) is a public repository of space-relevant biological studies. Anyone can browse and download the data, and researchers can submit studies and biological data to be included in the repository. As humans return to the Moon and work toward sending people to Mars, investigating the effects of space travel on the body has become more important than ever. 

The majority of the data hosted by the OSDR come from studies of plants, microscopic organisms, or non-human animals such as rodents and insects. However, in June 2024, the OSDR added the first ever open-access dataset of human biological data from a commercial spaceflight. 

The 2021 SpaceX Inspiration4 mission, the first space mission crewed only by civilian astronauts, lasted three days and collected a variety of data from the four astronauts’ blood samples, skin biopsies, swabs, and more. The OSDR’s open science approach with this dataset creates new opportunities for space biology studies and will ultimately allow humanity to explore space safely. 

To learn more about the new OSDR human spaceflight data offerings, read the recent feature: NASA’s Repository Supports Research of Commercial Astronaut Health.