Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences Research for a Future in Space The Role of Life and Physical Sciences Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-0-309-26103-6 32 pages 8 1/2 x 11 PAPERBACK (2012) Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences Committee for the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space;Space Studies Board; National Research Council Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences The SSB is a unit of the National Research Council of the National Academies, which serve as independent advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine. Support for this publication was provided by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, ndings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reect the views of the agency that provided support for the project. The SSB acknowledges Chase Estrin, Sandra Graham, Katie Kline, and Duke Reiber for contributing to the text of this booklet. Booklet design by Katie Kline. Cover image and title page image (right) of the NASA Desert RATS program are courtesy of NASA. Copyright 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences. ELIZABETH R. CANTWELL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Co-chair WENDY M. KOHRT, University of Colorado, Denver, Co-chair LARS BERGLUND, University of California, Davis NICHOLAS P. BIGELOW, University of Rochester LEONARD H. CAVENY, Independent Consultant, Fort Washington, Maryland VIJAY K. DHIR, University of California, Los Angeles JOEL E. DIMSDALE, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine NIKOLAOS A. GATSONIS, Worcester Polytechnic Institute SIMON GILROY, University of Wisconsin-Madison BENJAMIN D. LEVINE, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas RODOLFO R. LLINAS, New York University Medical Center KATHRYN V. LOGAN, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University PHILIPPA MARRACK, National Jewish Health GABOR A. SOMORJAI, University of California, Berkeley CHARLES M. TIPTON, University of Arizona JOSE L. TORERO, University of Edinburgh, Scotland ROBERT WEGENG, Pacic Northwest National Laboratory GAYLE E. WOLOSCHAK, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine This booklet is based on the Space Studies Board (SSB) report Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era , available for free online at www.nap.edu. Details about obtaining copies of the full report, as well as information on SSB and the Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences activities, can be found online at www. nationalacademies.org/ssb and www.nationalacademies.org/deps, respectively. Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration was authored by the Committee for the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space: Research for a Future in Space The Role of Life and Physical Sciences based on the National Research Council report Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences 2 Research for a Future in Space The Issues of Bone Loss & Nutritional Needs in Space Preventing Bone Loss Shifts in Astronaut Health During Long Periods in Space Chronic Sleep Loss in Space Coping with Conned Space Environments Monitoring Brain and Behavioral Functions in Astronauts Group Dynamics in an Extreme Environment The Roles of Plant & Microbial Growth Up-Rooted: Plant Growth in Space Managing Microbes as Spaceight Companions The Risk of Cellular & Genetic Changes in Long-Term Space Travel Muscle Weakness and Protein Degradation The Nature of Fluid Physics in Space Recycling Air and Water in Spacecraft Addressing Other Aspects of Fluid Physics in Space Issues in Fire Behavior & Safety: Prevention, Detection, Suppression Combustion and Fire Behavior in Reduced Gravity Fire Safety and Prevention in Space The Matter of Materials & the Relativity of Time Weighing the Matter of Materials Essential Technologies for Space Suits Engineering a Personal, Portable Atmosphere Exploration Enabled by Space Suit Technology Living Off the Land: Using In-Situ Materials Harnessing Non-Terrestrial Resources for Exploration Technologies Space Construction with Earth-Tested Methods Report Recommendations About the Report In May 2009, the NRC Committee for the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space began a series of meetings initiated as a result of the following language in the explanatory statement accompanying the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-161): Achieving the goals of the Exploration Initiative will require a greater understanding of life and physical sciences phenomena in microgravity as well as in the partial gravity environments of the Moon and Mars. Therefore, the Administrator is directed to enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council to conduct a “decadal survey” of life and physical sciences research in microgravity and partial gravity to establish priorities for research for the 2010-2020 decade. In response to this language, a statement of task for an NRC study was developed in consultation with members of the life and physical sciences communities, NASA, and congressional staff. The guiding principle of the study was to set an agenda for research in the next decade that would use the unique characteristics of the space environment to address complex problems in the life and physical sciences, so as to deliver both new knowledge and practical benets for humankind as it embarks on a new era of space exploration. Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era Contents Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences 3 Research for a Future in Space The Issues of Bone Loss & Nutritional Needs in Space Preventing Bone Loss · Nutrition and Space Foods Shifts in Astronaut Health During Long Periods in Space Chronic Sleep Loss in Space · Shifts in Cardiovascular Health Coping with Conned Space Environments Monitoring Brain and Behavioral Functions in Astronauts · Group Dynamics in an Extreme Environment The Roles of Plant & Microbial Growth Up-Rooted: Plant Growth in Space · Managing Microbes as Spaceight Companions The Risk of Cellular & Genetic Changes in Long-Term Space Travel Muscle Weakness and Protein Degradation · Radiation During Spaceight The Nature of Fluid Physics in Space Recycling Air and Water in Spacecraft · Addressing Other Aspects of Fluid Physics in Space Issues in Fire Behavior & Safety: Prevention, Detection, Suppression Combustion and Fire Behavior in Reduced Gravity · Fire Safety and Prevention in Space The Matter of Materials & the Relativity of Time Weighing the Matter of Materials · Exploring Space and Time Essential Technologies for Space Suits Engineering a Personal, Portable Atmosphere · Exploration Enabled by Space Suit Technology Living Off the Land: Using In-Situ Materials Harnessing Non-Terrestrial Resources for Exploration Technologies · Space Construction with Earth-Tested Methods Report Recommendations Contents 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19 20-21 22-23 24-25 26-28 Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences 4 Research for a Along the way to becoming a space-faring species, humanity has faced enormous challenges. Despite these many initial hurdles, however, the United States has contributed to the progress of human spaceight by delivering the lunar landings, the space shuttle, and, in partnership with other nations, the International Space Station (ISS). NASA’s rich and successful history has been enabled by, and responsible for, a strong backbone of scientic and engineering research accomplishments. These milestones and future developments are made possible through ongoing advances in life and physical sciences research. Looking to the future, signicant improvements are needed in spacecraft, life support systems, and space technologies to enhance and enable the human and robotic missions that NASA will conduct under the U.S. space exploration policy. The missions beyond low Earth orbit, to and back from planetary bodies, and beyond will involve a combination of environmental risk factors such as reduced gravity levels and increased exposure to radiation. Human explorers will require advanced life support systems and will be subjected to extended-duration connement in close quarters. For longer missions conducted farther from Earth, for which resupply will not be an option, technologies that are self-sustaining and/or adaptive will be necessary. To prepare the U.S. for its future as an enduring and relevant presence in space, both basic and applied research in the life and physical sciences within NASA will need to be reinvigorated. Specically, NASA’s compelling future in space exploration will ow in large part from the implementation of a strong life and physical sciences program. The NRC decadal survey Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era identies these research opportunities and imperatives that can be achieved most rapidly and efciently by establishing a multidisciplinary and integrated research program within NASA itself. Such a program is needed to span the gaps in knowledge that represent the most signicant barriers to extended human spaceight exploration. A successful program will depend in part on the results of research that can only be performed in the unique environment of space; in other words, the program should draw on research that is enabled by access to space. This type of fundamental research addresses questions that exist at the very core of discovery: What factors contribute to ame growth and impact re behavior in reduced-gravity conditions? Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences 5 Future in Space What underlying biological mechanisms are revealed when the fundamental force of gravity is stripped away? From these questions, new technologies can emerge in seemingly unrelated sectors. For instance, discoveries might emerge in the eld of medicine from access to data on physiological changes, such as heart muscle atrophy and decreasing bone mass, in astronauts during spaceight. But discovery is just one component of a comprehensive research program. To generate progress in all relevant areas needed for human spaceight, a program should also yield new insights into the space environment that can be applied to exploration mission needs. This enabling research could contribute to innovative technologies that are more reliable, cheaper, safer, and more efcient, making human spaceight more accessible than was possible in these last few decades. More specically, how could a better understanding of the space environment enable engineers to design technologies that harness the unique conditions of space instead of competing with them? For example, are there techniques or materials yet to be developed that could use reduced gravity to enhance, rather than complicate, the transfer of fuels during spaceight? Overcoming these specic challenges, as well as the more general scientic and engineering obstacles that are present in space exploration, will require an understanding of biological and physical processes, as well as their intersections, in the presence of a range of reduced gravity conditions. The examples presented in the following pages illustrate only some of the mechanisms, uncertainties, and unique phenomena that are a part of the space environment. These are select areas that could benet from fundamental research in the life and physical sciences, but they also provide a glimpse into the possible applications for this research both in space and for society as a whole. These brief vignettes raise questions—such as, what discoveries still await humanity in the space environment that would not be possible to make on Earth, and what barriers to human spaceight still remain? These examples of enabling research, and descriptions of scientic insights enabled by access to space, are explored in greater detail in the full NRC report Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration . This publication and the full report are available online at http://www.nap.edu. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences 6 © 2011 by Lindsay Davidson, under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Nutrition and Space Foods Nutrition is another method by which scientists have tried to mitigate astronaut bone loss. While it is well known that inadequate nutrition disrupts proper functioning of the human body, the extent of these effects in microgravity is not well understood. Long periods in space may make astronauts particularly susceptible to bone and muscle loss, compromised immune systems, and neurological changes that can affect cognitive functioning and contribute to sleep deprivation conditions likely exacerbated by suboptimal nutrition. Based on information from previous missions, some common vitamin and mineral deciencies have been identied in astronauts. In particular, several deciencies or insufciencies are consistently reported, including inadequate energy intake and a depressed vitamin D and K status. Data from individual Skylab missions show that length of mission is a factor in vitamin D status; the longer the mission, the more depressed the vitamin D status. Because astronauts are not exposed to UV light in ight, they require a vitamin D supplement. This nutrient, which is the only vitamin routinely supplemented in spaceight, is required for calcium absorption—an important consideration when bone loss is a clearly documented negative consequence of spaceight. In order to predict and mitigate any decits experienced by astronauts, short- or long-term, it is critical to study any changes to the antioxidant capacity of space foods as a function of processing and space conditions. NASA has therefore instituted effective measures to ensure that all food consumption and specic nutritional needs are met. NASA’s Johnson Space Center has developed a wide selection of foods for use in space that have been analyzed and well documented for their nutritional content. On Earth, preparing and storing foods for long periods can lead to loss or depletion of the foods’ nutritional value; however, there is still insufcient information on the ways in which these same processes affect foods in space, including the effects of space radiation. Osteoporosis is a bone disease marked by the steady decrease of BMD, contributing to an increased risk for fracturing. Women are particularly at risk due to the hormonal uctuations experienced during and after menopause. Research enabled by access to space could provide insights on bone loss prevention in astronauts and, back on Earth, contribute to advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis. Background edited from “Osteoporotic Bone” © 2008 by Alan Boyde, Bone Research Society, UK. Image Credit: NASA Nutritional Needs in Space The Issues of Bone Loss & Over millions of years, the structures of organisms on Earth have evolved under the constant inuence of the planet’s gravity. When living in microgravity, however, organisms attempt to adapt to a new hierarchy of forces. For humans, understanding how bones can change in space, particularly when that change relates to bone loss, is crucial to allowing longer missions. Much as on Earth, a nutrition- ally adequate diet in space must be maintained for proper body func- tion. How many calories are needed while in space? What types of physical activity or exercise can promote bone and muscle growth? Such questions can be answered only through a better understand- ing of the effects of reduced gravity on the many and complex sys- tems of the human body. Preventing Bone Loss The skeletal system of animals provides a solid framework for structural support, protection, and mobility in Earth’s gravity (1 g). It is not surprising, then, that the skeletal system changes in the absence of gravity. Reports show that the rate of bone loss in microgravity can be roughly 10 times greater than the rate of bone loss that occurs in women after menopause. Bone mineral density (BMD) is the measurement used to determine how much bone loss has occurred. After being in space for six months, astronauts typically need more than two and a half years for their BMD to return to pre-ight levels, while the changes in bone structure that also occur in microgravity can be irreversible and actually mimic many of the changes associated with advanced aging. Such issues are currently a barrier to long periods in space, so it is important for future research to focus on such issues as whether a partial-gravity environment—for example, one-third gravity for Mars or one-sixth gravity for the Moon— will provide some degree of protection from the bone loss that occurs in microgravity. The U.S. and Russia have used exercise in space as a loading mechanism to counter the effects of microgravity, but these activities have not been reliably effective for maintaining bone mass and there is evidence that previous exercise loading on devices failed to adequately maintain BMD. However, ground-based research that uses long-term bed rest to mimic the effects of sustained lowered gravity have suggested that bone may be somewhat protected by certain activities, including exercise time. Supine treadmill exercise—that is, running while suspended horizontally—has shown positive benets when coupled with imposing negative pressure to the lower-body during both 30- and 60-day periods of bed rest. Over the past 15 years, drugs like biophosphonate have been developed for the prevention of osteoporosis, and the ISS provides a unique platform for testing their effectiveness. Research has shown that biophosphonate injections maintained a slightly increased BMD in the spine and hips of rodents during 90 days of hindlimb unloading, which is also used as an analog of microgravity. One concern is that suppression of resorption—the breakdown and release of bone minerals to the blood stream—will also suppress bone formation. With such drugs, consequently, further research is needed to ensure that bone fractures will be able to heal as expected. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences 7 © 2011 by Lindsay Davidson, under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Nutrition and Space Foods Nutrition is another method by which scientists have tried to mitigate astronaut bone loss. While it is well known that inadequate nutrition disrupts proper functioning of the human body, the extent of these effects in microgravity is not well understood. Long periods in space may make astronauts particularly susceptible to bone and muscle loss, compromised immune systems, and neurological changes that can affect cognitive functioning and contribute to sleep deprivation conditions likely exacerbated by suboptimal nutrition. Based on information from previous missions, some common vitamin and mineral deciencies have been identied in astronauts. In particular, several deciencies or insufciencies are consistently reported, including inadequate energy intake and a depressed vitamin D and K status. Data from individual Skylab missions show that length of mission is a factor in vitamin D status; the longer the mission, the more depressed the vitamin D status. Because astronauts are not exposed to UV light in ight, they require a vitamin D supplement. This nutrient, which is the only vitamin routinely supplemented in spaceight, is required for calcium absorption—an important consideration when bone loss is a clearly documented negative consequence of spaceight. In order to predict and mitigate any decits experienced by astronauts, short- or long-term, it is critical to study any changes to the antioxidant capacity of space foods as a function of processing and space conditions. NASA has therefore instituted effective measures to ensure that all food consumption and specic nutritional needs are met. NASA’s Johnson Space Center has developed a wide selection of foods for use in space that have been analyzed and well documented for their nutritional content. On Earth, preparing and storing foods for long periods can lead to loss or depletion of the foods’ nutritional value; however, there is still insufcient information on the ways in which these same processes affect foods in space, including the effects of space radiation. Physiological interactions with micro- gravity conditions are largely unpre- dictable, including our understanding of the effects on vitamin levels. Dietary supplements and nutritionally evalu- ated space foods are approaches to combating deciencies and ensuring the health of astronauts. Osteoporosis is a bone disease marked by the steady decrease of BMD, contributing to an increased risk for fracturing. Women are particularly at risk due to the hormonal uctuations experienced during and after menopause. Research enabled by access to space could provide insights on bone loss prevention in astronauts and, back on Earth, contribute to advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis. Background edited from “Osteoporotic Bone” © 2008 by Alan Boyde, Bone Research Society, UK. Image Credit: NASA Nutritional Needs in Space The Issues of Bone Loss & The skeletal system of animals provides a solid framework for structural support, protection, ). It is not surprising, then, that the skeletal system changes in the absence of gravity. Reports show that the rate of bone loss in microgravity can be roughly 10 times greater than the rate of bone loss that occurs in women after menopause. Bone mineral density (BMD) is the measurement used to determine how After being in space for six months, astronauts typically need more than two and a half years for their BMD to return to pre-ight levels, while the changes in bone structure that also occur in microgravity can be irreversible and actually mimic many of the changes associated with advanced aging. Such issues are currently a barrier to long periods in space, so it is important for future research to focus on such issues as whether a partial-gravity environment—for example, one-third gravity for Mars or one-sixth gravity for the Moon— The U.S. and Russia have used exercise in space as a loading mechanism to counter the effects of microgravity, but these activities have not been reliably effective for maintaining bone mass and there is evidence that previous exercise loading on devices failed to adequately maintain BMD. However, ground-based research that uses long-term bed rest to mimic the effects of sustained lowered gravity have suggested that bone may be somewhat protected by certain activities, including exercise time. Supine treadmill exercise—that is, running while suspended horizontally—has shown positive benets when coupled with imposing Over the past 15 years, drugs like biophosphonate have been developed for the prevention of osteoporosis, and the ISS provides a unique platform for testing their effectiveness. Research has shown that biophosphonate injections maintained a slightly increased BMD in the spine and hips of rodents during 90 days of hindlimb unloading, which is also used as an analog of microgravity. One concern is that suppression of resorption—the breakdown and release of bone minerals to the blood stream—will also suppress bone formation. With such drugs, consequently, further research is needed to ensure that bone [...]... nd Image Cred it: NASA s Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences A test cell for the Mechanics of Granular Materials (MGM) experiment on STS-89 is compressed approximately 20- and 60-minutes after the start of an experiment Sand and soil grains have surfaces that can cause friction as they roll and slide against each other—they can even cause sticking and form small voids... National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes... task involving horizontal integration (multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary) and vertical translation (interaction among basic, preclinical, and clinical scientists to translate fundamental discoveries into improvements in the health and wellbeing of crew members during and after their missions) To address the cumulative effect of a range of physiological and behavioral changes, an integrated research. .. forms of life from bacteria to humans Exposure to radiation can damage DNA and cause major health problems, including cancer This is a clear example of why radiation research is important for long-duration space missions Copyright © National Academy of Sciences All rights reserved 15 Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences The Nature of Fluid P Fo of W str the wh ma Spacecraft... radiation toxicity endpoints; • Gender differences in physiological effects of spaceflight; and • Biophysical principles of thermal balance Copyright © National Academy of Sciences All rights reserved 27 Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences Report Recommendations (Continued) Fundamental Physical Sciences in Space The fundamental physical sciences research at NASA has... of the mechanisms, uncertainties, and unique phenomena that are a part of the space environment These are select areas that could benefit from fundamental research in the life and physical sciences, but they also provide a glimpse into the possible applications for this research both in space and for society as a whole These examples of enabling research, and descriptions of scientific insights enabled... Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine Dr Ralph J Cicerone and Dr Charles M Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council www.nationalacademies.org Copyright © National Academy of Sciences All rights reserved Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences This booklet is based on the National Research Council... shear stress; in addition to liquids, particles like dust and gasses can flow as well, as do particulate materials such as sand and dust Martian soil fines are also significantly magnetic, as the Viking landers clearly demonstrated at their two landing sites on Mars more than 35 years ago By conducting granular physics and physical properties research on the Moon and Mars, accurate models can continue... with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities The Council... science and technology and to their use for the general welfare Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters Dr Ralph J Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National . Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences Research for a Future in Space The Role of Life and Physical Sciences Copyright. respectively. Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration was authored by the Committee for the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space: Research for a Future in Space The Role of Life and. Recommendations Contents 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19 20-21 22-23 24-25 26-28 Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Research for a Future in Space: The Role of Life and Physical Sciences 4 Research for a Along the way to becoming a space-faring species,