Summary 



Visionaries have long speculated over a future in which humans understand 

 the scientific truth about their origins, control their environment on Earth, 

 and live successfully outside of that environment. Their speculations, 

 however, have frequently overlooked some fundamental facts: that the universe is 

 complex and mostly inhospitable and that life as we know it evolved in the 

 protective shelter of an atmosphere and a constant gravitational force. 



The knowledge obtained by space life sciences will play a pivotal role as 

 humankind reaches out to explore the solar system. To conduct the types of space 

 missions contemplated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

 (NASA), information is needed concerning the existence of life beyond the Earth, 

 the potential interactions between planets and living organisms, and the 

 possibilities for humans to inhabit space safely and productively. 



Our experience in space thus far has given us a glimpse of the potential problems 

 and rewards facing humans on future missions, particularly those of long duration. 

 Within the United States space program, NASA life sciences are responsible for 

 acquiring knowledge that will contribute to the human exploration of space. 

 Programs in the involved disciplines are an integral part of NASA's current and 

 future missions, from near Earth orbit, to human missions to the Moon and Mars. 

 To realize their objectives, they require the development and operation of diverse 

 ground and flight facilities and close coordination with numerous scientific and 

 governmental organizations in the United States and abroad. 



Study Committee Charge 



Given the need for a vigorous and forward-looking program in the space life 

 sciences, Dr. James Fletcher, the NASA Administrator, charged the NASA Advisory 

 Council (NAC) with developing a strategic plan that will prepare the Agency for 

 the approaching era of space exploration. To accomplish this task, the NAC 

 organized the Life Sciences Strategic Planning Study Committee (LSSPSC) under 

 the leadership of Frederick C. Robbins, M.D. 



The LSSPSC pursued its work within a context shaped by the reports of recent 

 task groups: Leadership and America's Future in Space (NASA, 1987), A Strategy for 

 Space Biology and Medical Scimce for the 1980s and 1990s (National Academy of 

 Sciences, 1987), and, among others, Pioneering the Space Frontier (National 

 Commission on Space, 1986). Many of the issues discussed in these publications 



