--- title: "NASA Official Admits There’s a Bit of an Issue on the Space Station" description: "The International Space Station is, without a doubt, really awesome — but even NASA has to admit when the ISS has reached its limits. " date: "2023-02-02" modified: "2023-02-02" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-iss-crowded" categories: - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "international space station" - "NASA" - "SpaceX" - "the digest" --- # NASA Official Admits There’s a Bit of an Issue on the Space Station ![The International Space Station is, without a doubt, really awesome — but even NASA has to admit when the ISS has reached its limits. ]() *\Image: NASA/Futurism\* ## Spaced Out The International Space Station is, without a doubt, really awesome — but even NASA has to admit when it's reached its limits. As [*SpaceNews* reports](), a NASA official suggested during a recent conference that because commercial spacecraft like those of SpaceX have made it possible to take four American astronauts to the ISS rather than three, the extra cargo needed to sustain that fourth person takes up quite a bit of space that would otherwise be used to transport research equipment. "As we get into this discussion of what is full utilization, I will tell you that I believe that we are already there," Kirt Costello, the chief scientist for the ISS, told assembled members of the National Academies' space survey. "We have maximized the capabilities of station not only to do research but to sustain the utilization resources we have." ## Cargo Containment Essentially, Costello said that there's now something of a space crunch aboard the station. "To get at equipment for research, for some of our investigations, the crew has to wade through this stowage and find the right bags," the scientist said. "We’re currently seeing enhanced amounts of crew time being added to crew activities just to retrieve stowage." In an image *SpaceNews* viewed from Costello's presentation, the additional cargo bags needed for that fourth astronaut were seen lined up in station passageways, and although the site didn't publish that photo, we can only imagine that that's not an ideal storage situation for those aboard. For now, NASA is reportedly relying on the introduction of other commercial crafts to ease some of these cargo storage issues — at least three new ones, per Costello's comments. In a certain sense, this could be a teachable moment not just for NASA, but for those of us who are considering an off-world future for humanity. As the agency is learning, the more people that get sent up into space, the more supplies they'll need to survive. **More on NASA:** [*NASA's Mars Rover Perseverance Just Dropped Off Its Last Sample*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()