Life Sciences in the Space Program 



Recommendation 



• The Life Sciences Division should increase the availability and exploitation 

 of its data analysis capabilities in the following ways: 



— On-orbit computer systems should be provided with hardware and 

 software capabilities for telescience, including real-time, two-way 

 (ground/flight) interactive data handling and remote processing. 



— Experimental protocol should be standardized and promulgated whenever 

 possible so as to ease new investigators into the process and allow 

 different/repeated experiments to be more easily compared with research 

 outside NASA. 



— A computerized data base should be established that is accessible 

 through standard online services and that contains space-flight 

 experimental data; a space life sciences bibliography; summaries of past, 

 present, and proposed research; listings of participants and their home 

 institutions; and information on educational opportunities. 



Selection of Research Organisms 



Findings 



• To date, a limited diversity of animals and plants has been flown in orbit. 



• Extrapolating results from one species to another is often scientifically 

 inappropriate, leading to incorrect conclusions. 



Recommendations 



• NASA should use a sufficient number and diversity of taxa to examine 

 representative examples of gravitational perception, sensing, response, and 

 adaptation. 



• Adequate plant and animal unicellular and multicellular growth facilities 

 must be provided that include capabilities to rear several generations under 

 automated control. Particular emphasis should be placed on maintaining an 

 in-orbit, multigenerational rat colony. 



• Proposed investigations similar in scope to work done previously by other 

 researchers should use standardized experimental plants and animals when- 

 ever possible. 



• Collaboration between the Gravitational Biology and Controlled Ecological 

 Life Support Systems (CELSS) Programs in the areas of plant research should 

 be encouraged. 



CELSS and Gravitational Biology Collaboration 



finding 



Including plants as a component ol a ( II SS module requires '.'ie capability to 

 istain and maximize plant growth in space. This presupposes .understanding 



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