Biological and Physical Research 1: Habitation of Space

Conduct research to enable safe and productive human habitation of space.

Other Information:

Space flight exposes humans to physiological and psychological health risks from radiation, reduced gravity, and isolation. BPR will coordinate research in the physical and biological sciences with biomedical applications to develop methods that will reduce these threats to human health in space and planetary environments. BPR will use results from the continuum of research, from fundamental through applied, to design strategies to maintain health, safety, and performance in the hostile environment of space. In addition to controlling the physical changes that seriously threaten space travelers’ health, this Enterprise will conduct research to develop the means to remotely provide crew medical care. BPR will also conduct research on technology for efficient, self-sustaining, life-support systems to provide safe, hospitable environments for space exploration. NASA will team with other research agencies, the private sector, and academia to establish the scientific foundation for cutting-edge, molecular-scale biomedical technologies for use on Earth and in space. NEAR TERM PLANS: - Identify mechanisms of health risk and potential physiological and psychological problems to humans living and working in space, and begin developing and testing countermeasures - Conduct research in analog test beds and on orbit to enhance medical care for human space flight - Test and validate technologies that can reduce the overall mass of human support systems by a factor of 2 (compared to 1990’s levels) - Begin developing interdisciplinary knowledge (e.g., biology, physics, materials) to support safe, effective, and affordable human/robotic exploration

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