National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationSpace Life & Physical Sciences Research & Applications Division

Human Exploration & Operations Mission DirectorateDivision Director: D. Marshall Porterfield

Research for Human Exploration

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationSpace Life and Physical Sciences

• 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)

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3Draft. Internal NASA Use Only

SLPSRA Organizational Chart

SLPS Director(Porterfield)

Physical Sciences Space BiologyHuman Research

Spaceflight Mission

OperationsSLPS Chief Scientist

CASIS Liason

Budget Integration

NASA Chief Scientist Office

HRP Program Office (JSC)

RMO Lead

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationSLPS Research and Application Focus Areas

Human Research Physical SciencesSpace Life Sciences

• Uses the space environment to enhance understanding of the response of living organisms and biological processes to spaceflight conditions.

• Works toward an understanding of the requirements of terrestrial life in non-Earth environments

• Conducts fundamental and applied research in space to explore the processes that form materials and determine the performance of fluid, thermal, and combustion systems.

• Builds engineering knowledge to enable the design of fluid, thermal, and chemical process devices for space environments

• Develops scientific and technological foundations for a safe, productive human presence in space for extended periods.

• Focuses on investigating and mitigating the highest risks to human health and performance in order to enable safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration.

• Applies this knowledge and technology to improve our nation's competitiveness, education and the quality of life on Earth.

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Human Health Emphasis

Biological Systems Emphasis

Human ExplorationEmphasis

Humans

Exploration Subsystems

SmallOrganisms(Mice, Rats)

Tissue, Organs

BioMolecules

MammalianCells

ModelOrganisms,Microbes

Life Sciences Research in Space

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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationGravity-Dependent Physical Sciences

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Fluid Physics

• Two-phase flow• Phase separation• Boiling, condensation• Capillary and interfacial phenomena

Materials Science• Solidification• Crystal growth• Metals, alloys • Electronic materials• Glasses, ceramics• Polymers

Complex Fluids

• Colloids• Liquid crystals• Foams• Dusty plasmas• Granular flows

Fundamental Physics• Atomic Clock• Low temperature physics• Quantum measurement

techniques• Ultra-cold atom physics • Test mass techniques

Combustion Science• Spacecraft fire safety• Solids, liquids, droplets, gasses• Supercritical reacting fluids• Soot

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ISS Research – Human Research ProgramCritical to mitigating 18 of 28 health risks relevant to human exploration

Exercise Facilities

On-Orbit Research Facilities Biomedical Research

Human Research Rack-1 Human Research Rack-2

Biomedical Capabilities Development

Physiological Changes and Exercise

Countermeasures

Immunological Changes

Crew Sleep and Performance Research

Lightweight Trauma Module

IV Fluid Generation

Integrated heath caresystem

Nutritional Requirements

Portable Medical Imaging

International Research Collaborations

ESA Muscle Physiology Facility CSA Cardiovascular

Function Experiment

JAXA Bone Loss Countermeasure

Experiment

Russian Fluid ShiftCountermeasure

Experiment

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOverview: Components of HRP

• 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 8

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Response to the decadal survey: Perspectives and approaches for 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

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationStatus of the ISS Nation Lab management organization

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

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationStatus of the ISS Nation Lab management organization

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.

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationStatus of the HEOAC Research Subcommittee

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.

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationSLPSRA Research Selection Process

(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.

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Customer Review Peer Review

Reviewed by Standing Review Panels

Reviewed by IOM

SLPSRA Research Selection Process(Human Research Program)

Architecture: Evidence Risks Gaps Tasks Deliverables

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Evidence Base – Flight and Ground• Science• Clinical• Operational

experience

Exploration Missions &

Architectures

NASA Spaceflight Human System

Standards

Risks

Results and Deliverables• Mitigate Risks• Update Standards• Countermeasures• Medical Technologies• Results New Gaps

Solicitations & Directed Research

Integrated Research Plan/Human Research Roadmap

Prioritization & Implementation Approach

Constrained by• Customer need

dates• Budgets• Research platform

availability

Gaps

HSRB Reviews/RefinesRisk Posture

Utilize HSRB to review

and refine risk posture

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Questions?