ISS sets its research scope on longer space missions Issued on: 21/04/2021 - 07:48 Astronauts heading to the ISS are laying the groundwork for potential manned missions deeper into Space Gregg Newton AFP/File 4 min Paris (AFP) Detect harmful radiation, pilot a rover module, learn better sleep and body maintenance: astronauts aboard the International Space Station are preparing for future missions even further afield -- from the Moon to, one day, Mars. The latest arrival of four more astronauts to the ISS, due to blast off aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida on Thursday, will open the door for new experiments aimed at priming humans for long-distance space travel.