Summon/ 



Overarching Recommendations and Strategies 



In its deliberations, the Committee recognized that the resolution of certain key 

 factors was pivotal to the foundation of vigorous life sciences programs. It stresses 

 the importance of these factors by incorporating them in a set of overarching 

 recommendations. The Committee recommends that the Agency should: 



• Maintain and expand the Nation's life sciences research facilities located at 

 NASA's field centers, universities, and industrial centers by: 



— Establishing a mechanism for attracting promising young scientists to work 

 on NASA projects and developing additional training programs at major 

 universities and NASA installations 



— Establishing a program of NASA-supported professorships in space life 

 sciences at selected universities 



— Encouraging industries to develop capabilities in space life sciences 

 through technology research and development. 



• Assure timely and sustained access to space flight, thereby facilitating the 

 conduct of critical life sciences experiments. This should be accomplished 

 through: 



— Accumulating state-of-the-art instrumentation 



— Flying an augmented series of Spacelab missions 



— Using a series of autonomous bioplatforms to study radiation and variable- 

 gravity effects 



— Dedicating suitable facilities on the Phase 1 Space Station for life sciences 

 research 



— Conducting a major augmentation of life sciences capabilities during the 

 early Post-Phase 1 Space Station. 



• Synergize the presently independent research activities of national and 

 international organizations through the development of cooperative programs 

 in the life sciences at NASA and university laboratories. 



• Complete and consolidate the unique national data base consisting of basic 

 life sciences information and the results of biomedical studies of astronauts 

 conducted on a longitudinal basis. This data base should be expanded to 

 incorporate information obtained by other spacefaring nations and be 

 available to all participating partners. 



To achieve these recommendations, NASA should initiate work immediately, in the 

 1989 fiscal year, on the following set of strategic milestones: 



1989-1991 



• Strengthen the planning process of the Life Sciences Division by assuring its 

 timely integration into the Agency's overall strategic planning process. 



