Paper Session II-B - Strategies for Conducting Life Science Experiments Beyond Low Earth Orbit

Ronald L. Schaefer, Ingrid L. Rudolph-Angelich Lockheed Martin Space Operations, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Richard Mains, Darren Hughes & Gregory Leonard Mains Associates, Berkeley, CA Lynn D. Harper & Gregory K. Schmidt National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Exploring worlds beyond Earth will require terrestrial life to survive and ultimately flourish in environments fundamentally different to those in which it has evolved. The effects of deep space and conditions on the surface of other worlds must be studied and compared to the Earth, to understand and reduce the risks to explorers, and to make full use of the broad research opportunities and scientific benefits offered by such unique environments. Though much is already known about adaptations to the space enviromnent, key changes in terrestrial life may only be revealed over full life cycles and across multiple generations completed beyond Earth. The demands and potential risks of exploring and inhabiting other worlds necessitate a detailed understanding of these changes at all levels of biological organization, from genetic alterations to impacts on critical elements of reproduction, development and aging. Results from experiments conducted beyond low Earth orbit can contribute to the safety of space exploration, drive numerous social and economic benefits by extending our basic understanding of life on Earth, and address fundamental questions of life's potential beyond its planet of origin. Core research can use model organisms and human cell cultures to establish biological reference standards for each new space environment. These standards can enable comparisons across environments and fonn the foundation of efforts to predict, assess, and minimize biological risks to humans. Research campaigns can include a combination of core studies and innovative, PI-driven investigations. Multiple flight platforms -including the ISS, free flyers, and planetary bases -can be implemented to support a range of manned and umnanned mission opportunities. Introduction Space Life Science Program Prior to Apollo Space life sciences research began 4 decades ago on the Gemini missions and currently continues on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. Goals of the early space life sciences programs were simple in comparison to the complexity of experiments now incorporated onto Shuttle and/or Space Station payloads. The series of Mercury missions (1961-1963) established that humans could successfully travel in space for brief periods of time. Missions ranged from 15 minutes to 1.5 days with a crew of 1 to collect human biomedical data on the stresses associated with a) the microgravity environment and b) with launch and re-entry. The Gemini series of missions ( 1965-1966) conducted lunar landing verification tests. Missions ranged from several hours to 4 days with a crew of 2. Astronauts collected considerable biomedical data to detennine the effect of space flight on human physiological systems. During the Gemini missions, the first life science experiments in developmental biology were conducted. Gemini 3 flew Sea Urchin eggs. The goal of this experiment was to detennine the effects of the gravity on fertilization, cell division, growth and differentiation in a simple biological system. In this experiment, fertilized eggs were fixed at predetermined times during the course of the mission. Ground control specimens were also fixed according to the same time line. Due to a hardware malfunction, this experiment was not completed on Gemini 3. On the Gemini 8 and 12 missions, a second set of developmental biology experiments flew. In this experiment, investigators determined whether fertilized frog eggs exposed to a microgravity environment would divide normally and differentiate into a normal embryo. Flight data from these missions showed that cleavage occurred normally in both the early and late stages. Furthermore, embryos fixed postflight showed the embryos had progressed into morphologically normal tadpoles.