Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era (2011) / Chapter Skim
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12 Establishing a Life and Physical Sciences Research Program: Programmatic Issues
12 Establishing a Life and Physical Sciences Research Program: Programmatic Issues
Pages 361-378
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From page 361... ...
The scientific community engaged in space exploration research has dwindled in the past decade as a result of marked reductions in budget funding levels, from approximately $500 million shared equally between life and physical sciences in 2002 to the 2010 level of less than $200 million, with most of the latter going to the Human Research Program and only $47 million going to International Space Station (ISS) life and physical sciences research.
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From page 362... ...
For such a plan to become a reality, research must be central to NASA's exploration mission and be supported throughout the agency as an essential means to achieve future space exploration goals. Feedback, associated with this decadal survey received from numerous interviews, town hall meetings, and white paper submissions, indicated that a large proportion of the research community does not see such an environment for life and physical sciences within the current exploration programs at NASA.
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From page 363... ...
It is essential that every employee, from manage ment through crew, subscribe to the view that a key objective of the organization is to support and conduct life and physical sciences research as an essential translational step in the execution of space exploration missions. • Acknowledging life and physical sciences research as an integral component of spaceflight operations.
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From page 364... ...
The IOM report recommended that NASA develop and use an occupational health model for the collection and analysis of astronaut health data. Under such a paradigm, the importance of understanding the risks of the space environment for future astronauts is at least as important as maintaining the confidentiality of individual medical information.
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From page 365... ...
Its general conclusion was that the extramural budget has to be sufficiently large (e.g., about 75 percent of the total research budget) to support a robust extramural research program and to ensure that there will be a stable community of scientists who are prepared to lead future space exploration research and to train future researchers.
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From page 366... ...
As a general conclusion regarding the allocation of funds, an extramural budget would need to support a sufficiently robust extramural research program to ensure that there will be a stable community of scientists and engineers prepared to lead future space exploration research and train the next generation of scientists and engineers. • Research productivity and efficiency will be enhanced if the historical collaborations of NASA with other sponsoring agencies, such as the NIH, are sustained, strengthened, and expanded to include other agencies.
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From page 367... ...
The transparency of the process by which intramural and extramural research projects are selected for support after peer review for scientific merit could be ensured if NASA assembled a research advisory committee, composed of 10 to 15 independent life and physical scientists, to oversee and endorse the process. This committee would be charged with advising and making recommendations to the leadership of the life and physical sciences program
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From page 368... ...
• The quality of NASA-supported research and the interactions with the scientific community would be enhanced by the assembly of a research advisory committee, composed of 10 to 15 independent life and physical scientists, to oversee and endorse the process by which intramural and extramural research projects are selected for support after peer review of their scientific merit. Such a committee would be charged with advising and making recommendations to the leadership of the life and physical sciences program on matters relating to research activities.
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From page 369... ...
A critical number of investigators is required to sustain a healthy and productive scientific community. Building a program in life and physical sciences would benefit from ensuring that an adequate number of investigators, including flight and ground-based investigators, are participating in research that will enable future space exploration.
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From page 370... ...
Beyond the need to provide scientific underpinnings to fulfill future space exploration goals, the space research community represents an ideal foundation where life and physical scientists and engineers can coalesce around common goals. Because scientific advances can occur as a result of serendipity, it is important to have life scientists, physical scientists, and engineers working side by side to take full advantage of both planned and serendipitous discoveries.
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From page 371... ...
Improved Access to Samples and Data from Astronauts The medical and scientific communities interested in human health, safety, and performance during longduration spaceflight have been consistent in their requests for greater access to biological samples and other data collected from astronauts before, during, and after space missions. 16–19 The rights of astronauts to privacy have, at times, appeared to conflict with the need for access to valuable data to benefit future space travelers.
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From page 372... ...
• Improved central information networks would facilitate data sharing with and analysis by the life and physical sciences communities and would enhance the science results derived from flight opportunities. • Improving the access of the scientific community to samples and data collected from astronauts via central information networks would advance knowledge of the effects of the space environment on human health and improve the safety of space exploration.
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From page 373... ...
Conclusion • With the retirement of the space shuttle pending, it will be important for NASA to foster interactions with the commercial sector, particularly commercial flight providers, in a manner that addresses research needs, with attention to such issues as control of intellectual property, technology transfer, conflicts of interest, and data integrity. Synergies with Other National and International Agencies NASA has the opportunity to leverage scientific advances in the life and physical sciences funded by other agencies and by other countries and to develop partnerships that produce research results that have genuine ben efits to both partners.
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From page 374... ...
Several bed rest studies were sponsored by both ESA and NASA, including the Women's International Space Simulation Exploration study. Promoting National and International Synergies The following are examples of strategies that could be used to promote multinational efforts and synergies in biological and physical sciences space research.
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From page 375... ...
As an example of the third strategy, NASA Advanced Life Support representatives participate annually with the International Advanced Life Support Working Group. Members include personnel from NASA Headquarters, Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, and Ames Research Center.
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From page 376... ...
2003. Factors Affecting the Utilization of the International Space Station for Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences.
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From page 377... ...
2009. "Using Next-Generation Suborbital Spacecraft for Research and Education Missions in the Biological and Physical Sciences," presentation to the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sci ences in Space, October.
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