William C. Schneider, D.Sci. 

 Chairperson 



Gerald P. Can, P.E., D.Sci. 



Michael Collins 



Peter B. Dews, M.D. 



Jay P. Sanford, M.D. 



Lauren Leveton, Ph.D. 



Staff Associate 



Systems Engineering 



This paper addresses the critical life sciences aspects of systems engineering. As 

 used in this paper, systems engineering is the art and science of designing 

 environments, systems, facilities, and products to support the health, safety, 

 performance, and productivity of crews. The involved activities, as well as related 

 life sciences efforts that are also part of systems engineering, become increasingly 

 important as missions are planned that extend the time humans spend in space 

 and their independence from ground-supplied resources. 



NASA's Program in Systems Engineering 



Systems-engineering activities related to life sciences are dispersed throughout 

 NASA's organization. They range from basic research, to applied science, to 

 technology development. The relevant activities in basic research and applied 

 science are primarily organized under the Life Sciences Division's Space Medicine 

 and Biology Program. In addition, some activities are conducted in the Advanced 

 Technology Development Program. Issues related to the extended presence of 

 humans in space are receiving increasing attention from NASA Headquarters 

 organizations, particularly the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, the 

 Office of Space Station, and the Office of Space Flight. Ames Research Center 

 provides most of the basic research and technology advancement. Johnson Space 

 Center, in coordination with Marshall Space Flight Center, conducts the more 

 applied research activities and operations. 



Scientific Issues 



The Systems Engineering Study Group had a wide range of disciplines within its 

 purview. Given limitations in time and resources, it concentrated on four areas 

 representing key engineering concerns related to the life sciences: Crew Protection 

 and Health Systems, Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Systems, Habitability 

 Requirements, and Space Adaptation/Gravity Environment. The previous 

 discussion, "Crew Factors," reviewed other systems-engineering issues, including 

 the human/machine interface. 



Crew Protection and Health Systems 



Crew protection and health systems include the environmental-monitoring and 



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