Thriving in Space Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023-2032 (2023) / Chapter Skim
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3 Framework for Thriving in Space by Prioritizing Themes and Scientific Questions
3 Framework for Thriving in Space by Prioritizing Themes and Scientific Questions
Pages 86-92
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From page 86... ...
KEY SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS AS PRIORITIES FOR BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH Themes Three themes bind together the scientific priorities of BPS in space environments for the coming decade. These three themes are not unique to this decade, yet the progress in human exploration of space, the scientific achievements and insights of the previous decade, and the rise of commercial development in space exploration and research all bring these themes into sharp clarity as descriptors of scientific importance.
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From page 87... ...
For example, answering key questions about vascularized plants or humans in space environments requires awareness of and even automation of the physical principles governing complex fluid flow in microgravity, and answering questions about new materials used to propel or protect humans on the Earth's Moon or on the way to Mars need to consider the impact of any waste solvents or particulates on future generations of life. Focusing on the scientific priorities in the following three themes positions the United States to not only travel to but also to thrive in the space environment sustainably, all the while returning benefits to societies on Earth: • Adapting to Space -- Understanding what happens to a terrestrial organism as it leaves Earth.
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From page 88... ...
However, there will also surely be some KSQs that by this coming decade seem to naturally draw from both disciplines and research communities, with biological science–motivated studies being much more physical science-aware, with physical science-focused research being much more cognizant of the implications of research outcomes on biological systems, and with biophysics-grounded research framed as more than an academic fringe topic or subset of BPS. These three themes help to frame the KSQs that BPS research will address in the coming decade -- a decade when space science research will contribute to the canon of knowledge that will help society thrive both on Earth and in the increasingly ambitious space exploration frontiers pursued by the United States and other nations.
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From page 89... ...
Each organism goes through a process of physiological adaptation, a process that has been well discovered in the previous decade and begs to be well understood in the coming decade. Data from the space shuttle and ISS eras strongly suggest that genetic differences imply that not every person, every plant, or every microbe will experience the same adaptive process, or even the same ability to thrive in space.
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From page 90... ...
• What principles guide the integration of biological and abiotic systems to create sustainable and functional extraterrestrial habitats? • What principles enable identification, extraction, processing, and use of materials found in extraterrestrial environments to enable long-term, sustained human and robotic space exploration?
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From page 91... ...
government agencies and other nations' space agencies to coordinate research resources toward the key scientific questions, as relevant to multiple-agency missions. TABLE 3-1 Key Scientific Questions in Biological and Physical Sciences Space Research Over the Decade 2023–2032 Themes Key Scientific Questions Adapting to Space • How does the space environment influence biological mechanisms required for (Chapter 4)
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From page 92... ...
(See Figure 3-3.) FIGURE 3-3 The Expedition 62 mission patch floats inside the seven-window cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world." The International Space Station has served as the basis for much biological and physical sciences research in the past decade, hosting numerous expeditions, astronauts, and experiments.
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