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This paper presents a review of the development and evolution of space laboratories. Laboratories in space constitute the unique and necessary working environment in which researchers conduct scientific experiments, engineering tests, and technology development missions. The United States (US) and (former) Soviet Union pioneered space laboratories with the Skylab and Salyut series stations. In the Space Shuttle era, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) SpaceLab, the commercial SpaceHab, and shuttle middeck lockers provided experiment accommodations for a broad range of disciplines. The MIR station provided a suite of laboratories and other facilities. The Space Station Alpha (SSA) will soon provide a multiplicity of laboratories, including the US Lab, the ESA Columbus Module, the “Kibo” Japan Experiment Module, and other facilities. Beyond the SSA, planetary exploration missions to the Moon and Mars will include Space Laboratories.

This paper presents a global overview of current, planned and proposed sample missions. At present, missions are in progress to return samples from asteroids, comets and the interstellar medium. More missions are planned to Mars and the asteroids. Future sample return missions include more targets including Europa, Mercury and Venus. This review identifies the need for developing a coordinated international system for the handling and safety certification of returned samples. Such a system will provide added assurance to the public that all the participants in this new exploration arena have thought through the technical challenges and reached agreement on how to proceed. All these future returned sample missions hold relevance to the NASA Astrobiology program because of the potential to shed light on the origins of life, or even to return samples of biological interest.

This paper presents an overview of the progression of the contemplated candidate volumes for the Lunar Lander since the beginning of the Vision for Space Exploration in 2004. These sets of data encompass the 2005 Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS), the 2006 Request for Information on the Constellation Lunar Lander, the 2007 Lander Design Analysis Cycle −1 (LDAC-1) and the 2008 Lunar Lander Development Study (LLDS). This data derives from Northrop Grumman Corporation analyses and design research. A key focus of this investigation is how well the lunar lander supports crew productivity.