The NASA Life and Physical Science Research Division
1. Space Life & Physical Sciences Research & Applications Division
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate
Division Director: D. Marshall Porterfield
Research for Human Exploration
2. Space Life and Physical Sciences
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• NASA's Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications
Division (SLPS) has been formulated to execute high quality, high value
research and application activities in the areas of:
– Fundamental Space Biology
– Physical Sciences
– Human Research
• These programs conduct fundamental and applied research to advance
basic knowledge and to support human exploration in the environment
of space.
• Division serves as the agency liaison with the ISS National Laboratory
management organization (CASIS)
3. SLPSRA Organizational Chart
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Chief Scientist
RMO Lead SLPS Director Office
(Porterfield)
HRP Program
Office (JSC)
Spaceflight
Mission
Operations
SLPS Chief
Scientist
CASIS Liason
Budget
Integration
Human Research
Physical Sciences Space Biology
Draft. Internal NASA Use Only 3
4. SLPS Research and Application Focus Areas
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Space Life Sciences Human Research Physical Sciences
• Uses the space environment • Develops scientific and • Conducts fundamental and
to enhance understanding of technological foundations applied research in space
the response of living for a safe, productive to explore the processes
organisms and biological human presence in space that form materials and
processes to spaceflight for extended periods. determine the
conditions. performance of
• Focuses on investigating fluid, thermal, and
• Works toward an and mitigating the highest combustion systems.
understanding of the risks to human health and
requirements of terrestrial performance in order to • Builds engineering
life in non-Earth enable safe, reliable, and knowledge to enable the
environments productive human space design of
exploration. fluid, thermal, and
chemical process devices
for space environments
• Applies this knowledge and technology to improve our nation's
competitiveness, education and the quality of life on Earth.
5. Life Sciences Research in Space
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Human Exploration
Emphasis
Human Health Emphasis Exploration
Subsystems
Humans
Systems
Emphasis Small
Organisms
(Mice, Rats)
Tissue, Organs
Mammalian
Cells
Model
Organisms,
BioMolecules Microbes
5
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6. Gravity-Dependent Physical Sciences
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Combustion Science Fluid Physics
•Spacecraft fire safety •Two-phase flow
•Solids, liquids, droplets, gasses •Phase separation
•Supercritical reacting fluids •Boiling, condensation
•Soot •Capillary and interfacial phenomena
Complex Fluids
Materials Science
•Solidification •Colloids
•Crystal growth •Liquid crystals
•Metals, alloys Fundamental Physics •Foams
•Electronic materials •Dusty plasmas
•Atomic Clock •Granular flows
•Glasses, ceramics
•Low temperature physics
•Polymers
•Quantum measurement
techniques
•Ultra-cold atom physics
•Test mass techniques
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7. ISS Research – Human Research Program
Critical to mitigating 18 of 28 health risks relevant to human exploration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
On-Orbit Research Facilities Biomedical Research
Nutritional Requirements
Physiological Changes
and Exercise
Countermeasures
Crew Sleep and
Exercise Facilities Performance Research
Immunological Changes
Human Research Rack-2
Human Research Rack-1
Biomedical Capabilities International Research
Development Collaborations
Portable Medical Imaging
JAXA Bone Loss
Integrated heath care Russian Fluid Shift
ESA Muscle Countermeasure
system Countermeasure
Physiology Facility CSA Cardiovascular Experiment
Experiment
Lightweight Trauma IV Fluid Function Experiment
Module Generation
8. Overview: Components of HRP
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Science Management Office
– Peer Review, Task/Risk Management, Life Sciences Data Archive
• Program Integration Office
– Program planning, integration & control
• Elements
– Behavioral Health and Performance
• Individual and interpersonal
– Human Health and Countermeasures
• Physiology, Visual Impairment/Intracranial Pressure
– ISS Medical Project
• Infrastructure for flight experiments
– Exploration Medical Capability
• Medical care for missions beyond low Earth orbit
– Space Human Factors and Habitability
• Interfaces between humans and vehicles/habitats
– Space Radiation
• Radiation exposure and biological effect
• NSBRI funded by HRP through a cooperative agreement to
pursue research that complements the HRP portfolio
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9. Response to the decadal survey: Perspectives and approaches for
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
going forward.
• Results from evaluation of decadal
recommendations will be adapted into
NRA announcements.
• NRAs in Fundamental Space Biology will
adopt a “wide net” approach in order to
attract the highest quality investigations.
• Close coordination with HRP is assuring
competent overlap in animal models will
be supported.
• Reorganizing participation in ISLSWG and
JWG in order to assure international
partner collaborations are aligned with the
Decadal
• NAC subcommittee on Life and Physical
Sciences Research is being developed
10. Status of the ISS Nation Lab management organization
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
CASIS ad hoc science team reviewed life sciences flight experiments for near-term
commercial potential. Identified rodent model of bone demineralization and growth
of bio-molecular crystals for x-ray structural analysis as two top candidates
Agreement with Merck to pursue flight experiments in protein crystal growth
Working with Merck, Sanofi, and GSK to determine feasibility of using a mouse
model of bone demineralization to test the effectiveness of osteoporosis drugs
Concluded first research solicitation with the selection of three projects in protein
crystal growth for ISS experiments
Solicitations for projects in materials science and Earth observations from the ISS are
in progress
11. Status of the ISS Nation Lab management organization
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
CASIS Board of Directors process nearing conclusion – new board installation expected next month.
Six board candidates have been conferring with CASIS leadership and are planning a rollout event on
December 15.
France Cordova – former NASA Chief Scientist, former President of Purdue University
Bess Dawson-Hughes – Director, Bone Metabolism Laboratory, Tufts University
Lewis Duncan – President of Rollins College
Arnold Levine – Emeritus Professor, Institute for Advanced Study, former President, Rockefeller University
Andrei Ruckenstein, Vice President and Associate Provost for Research, Boston University
Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Director, Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Columbia University
New Executive Director to be selected by the new board from 5-6 final candidates identified by a
search firm. NASA is working with the current board and retains approval authority on the selection
per the cooperative agreement
First annual report from CASIS was received last week is under evaluation.
12. Status of the HEOAC Research Subcommittee
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Advisory Council formally recommended the formation of a subcommittee of
the HEO Advisory Committee to address research and educational aspects of the
long-range human exploration of space at their March 8, 2012 meeting.
After the appointment of the permanent Director for SLPS in Summer 2012, a group
of candidates were identified and contacted. We are currently working with the
Office of the Administrator to form a subcommittee with appropriate expertise and
balance.
13. SLPSRA Research Selection Process
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(Space Biology/ Physical Sciences)
• NASA Research Announcement (NRA) is developed based on research topics
selected based on Decadal Survey input and specific Discipline Science Plans.
• NRA is released to the research Community for proposal submittal.
• Proposals are reviewed by a non-NASA external panel of Subject Matter
Experts (SME).
• Proposal are ranked and SLPSRA selects a number of Principal Investigators (PI)
proposals for grant selection based on available budget for grant execution.
• Selected PI’s are assigned to specific NASA centers for grant management and
for spaceflight hardware development.
14. SLPSRA Research Selection Process
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(Human Research Program)
Architecture: Evidence Risks Gaps Tasks Deliverables
Evidence Base – Reviewed by IOM Reviewed by Standing
Flight and Ground Review Panels
• Science
• Clinical Risks Gaps
Prioritization &
• Operational Implementation
Approach
experience HSRB Reviews/Refines
Risk Posture Constrained by
• Customer need
dates
• Budgets
Exploration • Research platform
availability
Missions &
Architectures
Utilize HSRB to review
NASA Spaceflight
Human System and refine risk posture
Standards
Integrated Research Plan/
Human Research Roadmap
Results and Deliverables
• Mitigate Risks
• Update Standards
• Countermeasures Solicitations
• Medical Technologies & Directed
• Results New Gaps Research
Customer Review Peer Review 14
HRP makes extensive use of the ISS to conduct experimental research and to develop and test procedures and hardware necessary for preserving astronaut health. The Human Research Facility has been on ISS since the very beginning, and has supported research in understanding all aspects of human health during adaptation to space flight, as shown in the upper right panel which gives some samples of the important areas of human research that have been studied. On the Technology Development side, lower left quadrant, NASA has takenimportant steps in adapting Earth technologies to support human space flight, and has developed new technologies for future use such as IV fluid generation in collaboration with physical sciences colleagues. Like all the Life Sciences research components of SLAPSRAP, HRP depends heavily on a robust collaboration with its international partners in studying all aspects of human adaptation to space flight, and developing countermeasures that counteract the negative effects, such as bone loss.