NASA Crew Health & Performance Capability Development for Exploration: 2021 to 2022 Overview

Abstract

Radiation, reduced gravity, distance from earth, isolation and confinement, and habitation within artificially created and controlled life support environments are hazards that present risk to human space explorers. In many cases, research is required to characterize those risks and help identify risk mitigation strategies. Where new capabilities are necessary to maintain crew health and performance (CHP) during exploration missions, a multi-step process is followed: 1) a Capability Gap is defined; 2) a plan or �roadmap� to develop that capability is established based on agency priorities and anticipated mission development timelines; and 3) work defined on the roadmap is then initiated as resources allow, with the objective that the capability will be available in time to support the future mission. Over the past year, significant progress has occurred in CHP technology development, ground testbed development, ground-based testing, and in preparations for ISS technology demonstrations. This paper provides a development update in the following capability areas: crew health countermeasures, EVA physiology and performance, food and nutrition, exploration medical capabilities, and radiation. Project overviews will include descriptions of CHP development activities over the past year, the human system risks and capability gaps being targeted, as well as planned follow-on activities and anticipated program infusion points.

Description

Andrew Abercromby, NASA, US
Grace Douglas, NASA, US
Kent Kalogera, NASA, US
Jeffrey Somers, NASA, US
Rahul Suresh, NASA, US
Moriah Thompson, NASA, US
Scott Wood, NASA, US
Emma Hwang, KBR Wyle Services, US
Kyle Parton, KBR Wyle Services, US
James Broyan, NASA, US
ICES506: Human Exploration Beyond Low Earth Orbit: Missions and Technologies
The 51st International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Saint Paul, Minnesota, US, on 10 July 2022 through 14 July 2022.

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Keywords

Crew, Health, Performance, Technologies, Capability

Citation