NASA utilization of the International Space Station and the Vision for Space Exploration

Abstract

In response to the U.S. President's Vision for Space Exploration (January 14, 2004), NASA has revised its utilization plans for ISS to focus on (1) research on astronaut health and the development of countermeasures that will protect our crews from the space environment during long duration voyages, (2) ISS as a test bed for research and technology developments that will insure vehicle systems and operational practices are ready for future exploration missions, (3) developing and validating operational practices and procedures for longduration space missions. In addition, NASA will continue a small amount of fundamental research in life and microgravity sciences. There have been significant research accomplishments that are important for achieving the Exploration Vision. Some of these have been formal research payloads, while others have come from research based on the operation of International Space Station (ISS). We will review a selection of these experiments and results, as well as outline some of ongoing and upcoming research. The ISS represents the only microgravity opportunity to perform on-orbit long-duration studies of human health and performance and technologies relevant for future long-duration missions planned during the next 25 years. Even as NASA focuses on developing the Orion spacecraft and return to the moon (2015-2020), research on and operation of the ISS is fundamental to the success of NASA's Exploration Vision.

Microbe-I: fungal biota analyses of the Japanese experimental module KIBO of the International Space Station before launch and after being in orbit for about 460 days

“…The ISS is a closed manned system exposed to microgravity and space radiation. It has HEPA filters to remove contaminants from the cabin atmosphere (12), and is cleaned weekly with a vacuum cleaner and 0.4% benzalkonium chloride antiseptic towelettes (BZK Antiseptic Towelette; PDI, New York, NY, USA). Cultures and FE‐SEM observations were negative in all orbital samples.…”

Insights into spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome with review of intraocular and orbital findings

“…Since 2004, the first aim of the International Space Station (ISS) is to research ''astronaut health and the development of countermeasures that will protect our crews from the space environment during long duration voyages'' [1]. From this research, spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) has emerged as a top risk and high priority condition by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Human Research Program [2].…”

Human Physiology During Exposure to the Cave Environment: A Systematic Review With Implications for Aerospace Medicine

“…Long duration exploration and future human and robotic planetary surface missions are one of the long-term goals of space agencies (Robinson et al, 2007; Foing, 2016). Preparing for exploration-class missions to other planets requires a close replication of potential environmental and situational characteristics of extreme space conditions.…”

“…In this regard, isolation and confinement specific to space habitat simulations have previously been identified as factors that heavily impact on the homeostatic regulation of human physiology, inclusive of various biological variables (Czeisler and Gooley, 2007), as well as behavioral health, cognitive and physical performance (Basner et al, 2014; Pagel and Choukér, 2016; Mogilever et al, 2018). Specifically, alteration of the biological rhythm (Pittendrigh, 1960) was one of the first topics, and is still of great interest to space agencies worldwide (Czeisler and Gooley, 2007; Robinson et al, 2007; Foing, 2016). Caves are one of the earliest scenarios where investigations specifying long-duration confined-isolation were conducted.…”