Consensus Study Highlights | September 2023

Thriving in Space

Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research
A Decadal Survey for 2023–2032

Research in Biological and Physical Sciences in Space (BPS) has enabled the United States to be a trailblazer for both human and robotic space exploration, while sparking a wealth of technological advances to help society.

The United States has an unprecedented opportunity to lead the way to the Moon and Mars, but to do so, the nation must also be at the forefront of innovation for science and technology in space. However, despite more experiments being performed in space than ever before, NASA’s BPS program is severely underfunded compared to investments made during the space shuttle era.

If the United States wants to maintain its leadership role for the next generation of space science and exploration, funding for BPS research will have to increase tenfold before the end of the decade. This level of funding is necessary to support a robust and resilient program that can meet the nation’s needs.

Key Scientific Questions Focusing the Next Decade of BPS Research

Prioritizing eleven key scientific questions, spanning three major themes of research in and about the space environment, will position the nation to travel and prosper in space sustainably, all while returning benefits to Earth.

Adapting to Space
Life in space operates differently than life on Earth. It is critical to understand how the space environment impacts human beings as well as the plants and microbes that will be part of future habitat systems.

Key Science Questions
Learn more in Chapter 4

Living and Traveling in Space
Human exploration of the Moon and Mars will require longer-duration space missions. For these missions to be successful, it is important to understand how biological and hardware systems interact over the course of years, as well as how to derive resources to sustainably explore new places.

Key Science Questions
Learn more in Chapter 4

Probing Phenomena Hidden by Gravity or Terrestrial Limitations

Probing Phenomena Hidden by Gravity or Terrestrial Limitations
Fundamental processes that are not observable on the Earth can be readily seen in spaceflight when gravity is removed from the equation. Space-based laboratories provide the opportunity for major science gains.

Key Science Questions
Learn more in Chapter 5

Research Campaigns

The decadal survey recommends that NASA pursue dedicated research campaigns, funded through an increase in the BPS budget, to drive solutions to the key science questions above.

icon

BLiSS (Bioregenerative Life Support Systems)

The BLiSS research campaign aims to develop the technologies and systems needed to create space environments that are sustainable for long periods of time independent from Earth. Goals include providing high-quality food, refreshing air and water, and processing waste.

icon

MATRICES (Manufacturing mATeRials and proCEsses for Sustainability in Space)

The MATRICES research campaign aims to address how to make best use of a limited amount of resources on a long-duration space mission, including how to manufacture and repair habitats, materials, and technologies for sustainable exploration.

The report also presents a multi-agency initiative for probing the fabric of spacetime both within and beyond the solar system and a novel BPS Free Flyer concept for polar orbit to study the effects of gravitational forces and cosmic ray radiation exposure.

Learn more in Chapter 6

Advancing Space Exploration and Supporting the BPS Community

  • NASA responded to the 2011 BPS Decadal Survey by standing up what is now the Biological and Physical Science Division (BPS) within the Science Mission Directorate. As a result, the scientific community in these important and diverse fields has begun to be rebuilt. However, much work remains to establish a healthy and sustainable BPS community with resources commensurate with its long-term scientific and technological mission.

    A robust and resilient BPS program requires:

    • a healthy and regular cadence of proposal calls and grant funding that are consistent with sustaining a diverse and productive BPS community over the course of the next decade and beyond
    • broadened and more inclusive participation in the U.S. BPS community, including diversity of both scientific expertise and by lived socioeconomic experience
    • a total science budget sufficient to meet current national needs and international competitor/collaborator challenges
    • interactions with other U.S. government and non-U.S. space agencies necessary for optimal BPS community productivity in science and technology development
    • significant awareness and collaboration with emerging commercial space science platforms and activities

    Learn more in Chapter 7

  • Access to spaceflight and the wide range of platforms where BPS research is undertaken—including remote environments on Earth, suborbital flights, Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars— is essential for building a strong BPS program. NASA BPS should work with the Space Technology Mission Directorate to coordinate funding opportunities and provide access to space platforms, particularly for research that informs technology development for space exploration.

    The International Space Station has been a critical platform for BPS research, but it is nearing retirement and will be replaced by new capabilities before the end of the decade. New innovations from the private sector have reduced launch costs and opened up brand new opportunities for space exploration.

    Given that future U.S. BPS research will depend on the development of commercial space platforms, NASA should:

    • actively engage with commercial spaceflight firms to ensure that national science needs are met, and
    • establish an office or mechanism for commercial sponsorship and collaboration with government research agencies and academia

    Learn more in Chapter 7

  • The BPS program and the community it supports are increasingly diverse and inclusive. However, much work remains to be done to address the persistent and troubling concerns of underrepresented groups in BPS research and to broaden participation at all levels of the research enterprise. NASA should ensure that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are integral to the nation’s space exploration science priorities.

    Two recent National Academies’ reports identify best practices for improving the health and vitality of NASA’s research communities. Many of their recommendations could be applied to BPS:

    Learn more in Chapter 7

  • NASA’s commitment to open science—in the form of curated, maintained databases and physical repositories—encourages the research community to use existing data to improve experiment design, and offers the potential to build the space science research community beyond those investigators who are directly funded to generate such data.

    NASA should continue and expand the investment in open and shared computational infrastructure (CI) to support storage, analysis and dissemination of its biological and physical data, while ensuring linkage to the original and archived samples.

    Learn more in Chapter 7

  • Many federal agencies, companies, and non-profit organizations have goals that are synergistic with the mission of the BPS community. The decadal survey recommends that NASA work with other U.S. government agencies to establish an office or mechanism to facilitate public-private partnerships.

    Beyond the U.S. government and industry, it is important that NASA continue to facilitate appropriate international partnerships on behalf of the BPS community that requires access to space. NASA should work with appropriate government agencies to establish clear guidelines for international collaborations within the biological and physical sciences, with the goals of advancing U.S. leadership in BPS research, fostering responsible partnerships with other space programs, and enabling U.S. access to other nations’ ground-based and space research assets.

    Finally, it is critical that BPS, and NASA as a whole, work to build public trust and ensure that space exploration moves forward in a transparent, responsible manner where the benefits are shared. This includes expanding efforts to communicate to the public about the value of BPS research.

    Learn more in Chapter 7

FROM EARTH TO THE MOON AND BEYONDRecent Advances in Biological and Physical Sciences in Space

BPS research spans a wide range of scientific expertise and takes place across the solar system. These experiments have changed our understanding of the physical nature of the universe, led to the development of unique materials, and given insight into human, plant, animal, and microbial health. Some recent advances include:

  • The first experiments studying multigenerational growth of crops in space

  • Experiments in 3d printing and materials science to enable manufacturing and repair in space

  • New DNA and RNA sequencing capabilities in space to allow rapid response to human health changes

  • The study of matter at some of the coldest temperatures ever achieved

  • The first demonstrations of pharmaceutical production in space

FAQs

  • What is a decadal survey and why is it important?

    Thriving in Space identifies key scientific questions, priorities, and ambitious research campaigns that will enable human space exploration and transform our understanding of how the universe works over the next decade and beyond. The report provides a roadmap for increasing national investment in BPS research, from experiments to infrastructure to education. This is the second decadal survey for biological and physical sciences in space conducted by the National Academies, and like its predecessors, it will serve as a guide for scientists, policy makers, and agencies invested in the field.

  • How were steering committee members selected?

    The National Academies selected committee members in a process independent of sponsoring agencies after casting a wide net for participant recommendations. Members of the steering committee were selected to cover as fully as possible the scientific scope of the survey and to comprise as representative a group of experts as possible in terms of individual, institutional, and geographical demographics. National Academies policies governing potential conflicts of interest by steering committee and panel members were strictly enforced. In particular, broad and open-minded thinkers were sought out as opposed to advocates for individual missions or subfields.

  • How were science priorities determined and how was community input considered?

    Starting from an initial set of hundreds of community-submitted input papers and the past decade of published articles, three interdisciplinary panels of U.S. experts worked with the steering committee to establish the current state of knowledge and capabilities in BPS as a baseline of opportunity for research in the coming decade. The steering committee held public sessions over the course of 2+ years and received input from invited speakers from government, industry, and academia before reaching consensus.

  • How will BPS research change with the upcoming retirement of the International Space Station?

    The International Space Station has been a critical platform for BPS research. However, as the ISS moves towards retirement, it will be replaced by new capabilities within the next decade. Innovations such as advanced reusable rockets have reduced launch costs and opened up brand new opportunities for space exploration, including the development of commercial space platforms.

  • What decision rules does the decadal survey suggest for responding to changes during the decade?

    The report presents not only key science priorities, but also decision rules to assist NASA in broadening or downscaling the BPS research portfolio in the event funding or access to space varies from the expectations in the report.

  • Who sponsored the decadal survey?

    This decadal survey was sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Learn More

cover

Read report

Download report PDF

Public briefing slides

Public briefing video

Learn more about the study

Learn more about the Space Studies Board

Learn more about the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board

Sign up for email updates

Related Reports