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Executive Summary
Pages 1-11

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From page 1...
... This microgravity research can be divided into five broad areas, all of which focus primarily on phenomena that are strongly perturbed by gravity: biotechnology, combustion, fluid physics, fundamental physics, and materials science. To these disciplines, the Physical Sciences Division is considering adding research in such emerging areas as biomolecular physics and chemistry, nanotechnology, and research in support of the human exploration and development of space (HEDS)
From page 2...
... These included analysis of the citations received by papers, the citation rates for publications of research results, the prominence of the journals in which results were published, the changes to standard textbooks that resulted from research findings, documented influence on industry or NASA applications, and the fraction of principal investigators selected as fellows of various societies, elected as members of the National Academies of Engineering or Science, or chosen for other recognition such as awards in their field. Below is a partial listing of the research topics that have had an impact on their respective field: · The fluid physics research program has produced a large body of significant research in areas ranging from flows due to surface tension gradients to the dynamics of complex liquids with important applications to industrial processes such as oil recovery and to NASA flight technologies.
From page 3...
... · The fundamental physics research program has made important contributions to both basic theory and the practice of research in such areas as critical point physics and optical frequency measurement, and the work of its investigators is published frequently in the leading scientific journals. Access to the space environment enabled a definitive test of the widely applicable renormalization group theory, while ground-based research sponsored by the program led to an orders-of-magnitude reduction in the labor, physical infrastructure, and time needed for scientists around the world to perform optical frequency measurements.
From page 4...
... · Cellular biotechnology. Improved understanding of transport processes in bioreactors is important for HEDS medical applications and could lead to significant advances in the biological sciences and the biotechnology industry by improving the ability to control tissue and cell growth.
From page 5...
... Other NASA clock application experiments. By flying other types of clocks simultaneously with the atomic clock experiments, such fundamental ideas as the Einstein weak equivalence principle can be tested.
From page 6...
... Developing a mechanistic understanding of how applied loads and stresses affect cellular processes and the underlying molecular processes will lead to a better understanding of the impact of low-gravity conditions on human health. · Technologies to produce nanoengineered hybrid materials with multiple functions.
From page 7...
... The committee's evaluation of research in each of these categories is expected to assist NASA program planners by providing the insight into likely risks and potential rewards of the research necessary to create a vibrant microgravity research program that has an impact in all of these areas. Because of the brief history and rapid development of the fields of research in the emerging areas, it was not possible to evaluate research in those areas using the same criteria applied to the research in combustion science, fluid physics, fundamental physics, and materials science.
From page 8...
... Low PROBABILITY OF ACHIEVING IMPACT High FIGURE ES.2 Assessment of research topics in terms of their likely impact on terrestrial applications such as industry's technology needs.
From page 9...
... other NASA clock application experiments; 15. Nucleation process within, and the properties of, undercoated liquids; 16.
From page 10...
... These and other factors argued for a balanced PSD program of research that retains the unique potential for studying the effects of gravity on phenomena in combustion, fluid physics, materials, fundamental physics, and biotechnology topics such as tissue culturing. The committee concluded that the proportion of the physical sciences program devoted to the emerging areas should remain relatively modest, perhaps 15 percent of the program, until such time as a clear justification arises for increasing its size.
From page 11...
... . As the program moves into new areas of research it is worth emphasizing again that any research proposal submitted to the program no matter how relevant to an area considered highly desirable for inclusion in the program should be funded only if it has undergone a rigorous peer review and has received both high marks for scientific merit and a high ranking compared with competing proposals.


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