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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Multimodality stereotactic brain tissue identification: the NASA smart probe project

Real-time tissue identification can benefit procedures such as stereotactic brain biopsy, functional neurosurgery and brain tumor excision. Optical scattering spectroscopy has been shown to be effective at discriminating cancer from noncancerous conditions in the colon, bladder and breast. The NASA Smart Probe extends the concept of 'optical biopsy' by using neural network techniques to combine the output from 3 microsensors contained within a cannula 2. 7 mm in diameter (i.e. the diameter of a stereotactic brain biopsy needle). Experimental data from 5 rats show the clear differentiation between tissues such as brain, nerve, fat, artery and muscle that can be achieved with optical scattering spectroscopy alone. These data and previous findings with other modalities such as (1) analysis of the image from a fiberoptic neuroendoscope and (2) the output from a microstrain gauge suggest the Smart Probe multiple microsensor technique shows promise for real-time tissue identification in neurosurgical procedures. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Non-programmatic↗
NASA NTRS1995

Modes in Supervisory Control Systems: Structure and Transitions

Mode confusion is becoming a major drawback in operator interaction with systems that allow for multiple levels of automation. This drawback has manifested itself in several mode related accidents and incidents in commercial aviation, military control systems, as well as high technology medical systems. In the domain of commercial aviation, there have been four recent airline accidents, all involving highly automated aircraft, in which mode related problems were present. Mode problems, we argue, stem from three principal factors: (1) mis-identification of the current mode, (2) difficulty in apprehending current mode behavior; and (3) difficulty in predicting the consequences of the next mode transition. This combination of factors may lead to mode confusion and possibly unwanted results. We define in this paper a mode as the system's manner of behavior. Any given system or machine, may have several ways of behaving. A controller, either human or machine, provides the input that triggers the transition from one mode of behavior to another. At any point in time, a machine may be in one mode or another modes are mutually exclusive. Complex systems are typically comprised of several subsystems, or components, each one with its own set of modes. Therefore, the status of the system at any point in time can be described as a vector of all the active modes.

Degani, Asaf↗
NASA NTRS2016

Technical Reference Suite Addressing Challenges of Providing Assurance for Fault Management Architectural Design

Research into complexities of software systems Fault Management (FM) and how architectural design decisions affect safety, preservation of assets, and maintenance of desired system functionality has coalesced into a technical reference (TR) suite that advances the provision of safety and mission assurance. The NASA Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Program, with Software Assurance Research Program support, extracted FM architectures across the IV&V portfolio to evaluate robustness, assess visibility for validation and test, and define software assurance methods applied to the architectures and designs. This investigation spanned IV&V projects with seven different primary developers, a wide range of sizes and complexities, and encompassed Deep Space Robotic, Human Spaceflight, and Earth Orbiter mission FM architectures. The initiative continues with an expansion of the TR suite to include Launch Vehicles, adding the benefit of investigating differences intrinsic to model-based FM architectures and insight into complexities of FM within an Agile software development environment, in order to improve awareness of how nontraditional processes affect FM architectural design and system health management. The identification of particular FM architectures, visibility, and associated IV&V techniques provides a TR suite that enables greater assurance that critical software systems will adequately protect against faults and respond to adverse conditions. Additionally, the role FM has with regard to strengthened security requirements, with potential to advance overall asset protection of flight software systems, is being addressed with the development of an adverse conditions database encompassing flight software vulnerabilities. Capitalizing on the established framework, this TR suite provides assurance capability for a variety of FM architectures and varied development approaches. Research results are being disseminated across NASA, other agencies, and the software community. This paper discusses the findings and TR suite informing the FM domain in best practices for FM architectural design, visibility observations, and methods employed for IV&V and mission assurance.

Fitz, Rhonda↗
NASA NTRS2018

Space Resources and Mining: Current Objectives, Plans, and Missions

Why are Space Resources and Their Use Important? There are many reasons why people and nations want to explore space, and there are many different ways in which space can be explored. A critical interface linking both the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of space exploration is the identification, extraction, and use of resources in space. In both NASA’s Journey to Mars: Pioneering Next Steps in Space Exploration released in October of 2015 and the Global Exploration Roadmap released in August 2013, the ability to find, quantify, extract, process, and use space resources was identified as a critical objective by NASA and over 14 other space agencies for achieving affordable and sustainable human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit, encouraging and creating new commercial entities and markets based on space activities, and increasing the terrestrial economy and quality-of-life benefits for all humankind. Robotic and especially human space exploration up to this point in time can be considered to be ‘Earth reliant’ in that everything needed to support and enable the mission is launched from Earth. The past Apollo missions to the Moon and the International Space Station currently in orbit above the Earth all rely on hardware, habitats, power, transportation, and life support consumables sent from Earth to keep the crew alive and working. As the distance from Earth increases, the cost of transportation and the risks due to failures and logistics disruptions also increases. By using resources found at the site of exploration to make mission critical consumables (such as propellants, fuel cell reactants and life support commodities), spare parts, and infrastructure needed to support surface activities (such as landing pads, roads, habitats/shelters, and power/thermal systems) commonly referred to as In Situ Resource Utilization, a significant amount of launch mass and cost can be saved and risk reduced. The ability to do these things also changes how exploration is performed from Earth Reliant to NASA’s goal of ‘Earth Independent’ exploration. After the US Apollo program was over, people began to recognize that it had been an inspiration for a generation of young students to go into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields, and that the US industry and economy had significantly grown and lived off these students and the technological advances made to achieve these missions for decades. Space exploration should no longer be focused solely on scientific advancement or national pride, but for economic growth and population standard of living advancement. Considering the economic value of human exploration and how it could expand the economy of the US was brought to full light in a speech by John Marburger, the director of US Office of Science and Technology Policy under George W Bush at the Goddard Symposium in 2006. In his speech he highlighted that the ultimate goal was not to just Explore space but to Use space for the benefit of mankind. He further stated that the use of off-planet resources, in this case from the Moon, should be a critical architectural consideration for human space exploration to make it more affordable and sustainable. This could be achieved in two ways. The first is to start by encouraging and commercializing the extraction and production of transportation and life support related products from space resources, which could than lead to other resource uses once an affordable transportation architecture is established. The second is to encourage the spin-in of terrestrial technologies into space applications and spin-off of space technologies into terrestrial applications to increase the efficiency and profitability of terrestrial industries.

Sanders, Gerald B.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Need for Analogue Missions in Scientific Human and Robotic Planetary Exploration

With the increasing challenges of planetary missions, and especially with the prospect of human exploration of the moon and Mars, the need for earth-based mission simulations has never been greater. The current focus on science as a major driver for planetary exploration introduces new constraints in mission design, planning, operations, and technology development. Analogue missions can be designed to address critical new integration issues arising from the new science-driven exploration paradigm. This next step builds on existing field studies and technology development at analogue sites, providing engineering, programmatic, and scientific lessons-learned in relatively low-cost and low-risk environments. One of the most important outstanding questions in planetary exploration is how to optimize the human and robotic interaction to achieve maximum science return with minimum cost and risk. To answer this question, researchers are faced with the task of defining scientific return and devising ways of measuring the benefit of scientific planetary exploration to humanity. Earth-based and spacebased analogue missions are uniquely suited to answer this question. Moreover, they represent the only means for integrating science operations, mission operations, crew training, technology development, psychology and human factors, and all other mission elements prior to final mission design and launch. Eventually, success in future planetary exploration will depend on our ability to prepare adequately for missions, requiring improved quality and quantity of analogue activities. This effort demands more than simply developing new technologies needed for future missions and increasing our scientific understanding of our destinations. It requires a systematic approach to the identification and evaluation of the categories of analogue activities. This paper presents one possible approach to the classification and design of analogue missions based on their degree of fidelity in ten key areas. Various case studies are discussed to illustrate the approach.

Snook, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Measuring the Chemical Potential of the Martian Regolith to Generate and Sustain Life

A critical component for identifying chemical biosignatures is the ability to assess in-situ the potential of an aqueous geochemical environment to generate and sustain life. On Mars or other solar bodies, in-situ chemical characterization could provide evidence as to whether the chemical composition of the regolith or evaporites in suspected ancient water bodies have been biologically influenced or possess the chemical parameters within which life may have existed, or may still exist. A variety of analytical techniques have been proposed for use in detecting and identify signatures of past or present life. These techniques fall into two groups; visual observation with instruments such as cameras or optical/atomic-force microscopes; or elemental chemical analysis with such instruments as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and diffraction (XRD), a-proton backscatter (APX), y-ray, Mossbauer, Raman, IR, UV/VIS spectroscopies, gas chromatography (GC), or mass spectrometry (MS). Direct observation of an identifiable lifeform by the first set of instruments in a single sample is highly unlikely, especially for extinct organisms or on the surface. The later instruments can provide vital data as to the elemental mineralogy and geological history of the planet, but are highly inadequate for understanding the chemistry of the planet in terms of indigenous life or interactions with human explorers. Techniques such as XRD, XRF, and APX, provide elemental composition at high limits of detection. Some of this data can be extrapolated or interpolated to provide chemical parameters such as oxidation state or composition. Gas chromatography (GC) without standards and non-specific detectors, has little chance of identifying a mixture of unknown components. Combined with GC or by itself, mass spectrometry (MS) can provide identification of compounds, but in both cases the sample must be appropriately prepared for accurate and reliable analysis. Life as we know it, and probably identify it as such, requires an aqueous environment. Deciphering die chemical speciation of this aqueous environment is the key to recognizing therein the biosignatures of any extinct or present life forms. Identifying the soluble (ionic and nonionic) components by reacting a currently dormant environment can provide a "picture" of the thermodynamics and chemical components of a possibly bioactive environment. The only devices which can provide such information are electrochemical sensors based on the potentiometric ion selective electrodes (ISEs) and on dynamic techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and stripping voltammetry (SV). Such an array of devices can provide not only the chemical composition of a water-soluble Martian soil sample, but also several other vital chemical parameters such as pH, conductivity, redox potential, and dissolved gases. To address these issues we have been investigating the possible use of an electrochemically-based ion sensor array as a new integrated approach to quantitative analytical and chemometric electrochemical measurements. The sensor array will consist of specific and semispecific ion selective and amperometric transducers, which can simultaneously and continuously identify and semiquantitatively determine over 50 organic and inorganic analytes in water-based environments. Several individual sensors, based on the same principle, have been flight-tested and have been installed as part of the MECA instrumentation on the Mars 2001 Lander for in-situ analyses. However, the microfabrication, integration and multiplexing of such a large number of these sensors on a single substrate have not been previously attempted.

Kounaves, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS2022

In Situ Measurements of Surface Texture with Virtual Environments Support Science-Driven Human Surface Operations on the Moon and Beyond

Visualization tools enabling real-time scientific analysis are important for supporting future astronaut operations on the lunar surface. Such tools can be built into virtual environments to support scientific investigations, as well as situational awareness, real-time decision making, and efficient communication between astronauts and ground and support systems. Understanding how these tools can be optimized for science is essential for upcoming Artemis missions. In this contribution, we discuss how measurements of surface texture at multiple length scales can greatly enhance in situ science on/of the Moon, and eventually Mars, asteroids, and beyond. Roughness measurements at various wavelengths directly support objectives defined in the Artemis Science Plan, including (O1) “understanding planetary processes,” (O2) “understanding volatile cycles,” and (O3) “interpreting the impact history of the Earth-Moon system” . Key scientific analyses enabled by texture measurements at different length scales include: ● Sub-centimeter scales: Texture measurements can help constrain lava flow crystallinity, lava rheology, emplacement flow dynamics, and cooling histories (O1). Measurements of lacunarity (voids in fractal fill space) can shed light on eruptive volatile content, residence time of migrating volatiles, and near-surface volume available for micro-cold trapping of volatiles (O1, O2). ● Centimeter–meter scales: Texture measurements can be used for the differentiation of individual lava flows, the reconstruction of local stratigraphies and emplacement sequences, characterization of post-emplacement surface modification processes (O1, O3). Derived roughness (polarization) metrics can be used in the detection of water ice and characterization of ice properties (e.g., purity, grade, depth, abundance). ● Hectometer–Kilometer scales: Texture measurements can be used to differentiate major geologic surface units and surface structures (O1), constrain the presence of abundant ground ices (O2), and analyze surface modification and estimate surface age (O3). Real-time measurements of surface texture across these multiple length scales will enable efficient sample identification and scientific investigations by future astronauts. To support these investigations and the objective classification of surface texture, virtual environments employed by astronauts should be able to instantaneously convert raw data into processed data (e.g., digital terrain and elevation models) and derived metrics (e.g., RMS, std, Hurst, CPR) and perform statistical analyses (e.g., PCA, outliers, correlation matrices). Such tools are being developed and tested by the Resource Exploration and Science of our Cosmic Environment (RESOURCE) team, a node of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), and are an excellent example of the powerful synergies of human and robotic ground assets critical in the return of humans to the Moon.

Ariel N. Deutsch↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Gateway Program Safety and Mission Assurance Integration - the Future of Safe Deep Space Human Exploration

As a foundational element of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis Campaign, the Gateway is an incrementally built cislunar spacecraft that will serve as a platform for deep space human exploration, science, and technology demonstration. The Gateway will be a unifying catalyst for international partners around the world to establish sustained deep space scientific investigations, lunar surface access, and missions to Mars. As human exploration moves farther away from Earth, spacecraft designs must prioritize and optimize mass and volume allocations, while minimizing human and spacecraft risk. To accomplish this objective, the Gateway Program Safety and Mission Assurance functions develop, implement, and ensure compliance with requirements, in concert with the accurate characterization and transparent communication of residual hazard risks, for integrated safety, reliability and maintainability and quality assurance. Safety and Mission Assurance was a key contributor during Gateway program pre-formulation and formulation activities where safety and reliability analysis was embedded in the Gateway Systems Engineering and Integration team. During these early program stages, a preliminary Gateway Integrated Hazard Analysis and Preliminary Gateway Probabilistic Risk Assessment assisted in Gateway architectural and operational definition as part of a risk-informed design process. As the deep space architecture has matured, the integrated Safety and Mission Assurance analyses have matured, new safety review processes have been developed, and requirements have been refined to ensure compliance with integrated safety and mission assurance objectives. The Gateway Program is currently concluding the preliminary design review informed milestone, where the primary objectives included: - Ensured completeness and consistency of the preliminary design, including the meeting of all requirements within appropriate margins and acceptable risk posture. - Identification of any major issues moving forward to the Critical Design phase. At this milestone, Safety and Mission Assurance provided numerous products, including Gateway Top Risks and Risk Mitigation Plans, updated integrated hazard analyses, updated probabilistic risk assessment, Crew Survival Analysis Report, and updated Safety and Mission Assurance Requirements and Plans. These products provide a many-faceted perspective on the inherent risk and available mitigations involved in flying the current proposed vehicle design and anticipated stack configurations. In addition, Safety and Mission Assurance identified top technical, process and workforce concerns to be addressed as the program progresses toward the critical design phase. This paper will detail the evolution of the Gateway Program Safety and Mission Assurance integration functions, provide its current status and lessons learned for future human spaceflight programs. Throughout this paper the key tenets of the Gateway Program Safety and Mission Assurance will be discussed: - Application of a risk-informed approach to identify and mitigate areas of highest risk. - Leverage of valuable processes and lessons learned from earlier spaceflight programs. - Development of Safety and Mission Assurance products to inform design risk trades. - Utilization of common Safety and Mission Assurance practices to identify safety risks for multiple perspectives: top-down, bottom-up, and across lines of integration. - Approval of safety hazards at the appropriate level of authority, keeping most deliberation closest to design expertise and elevating risks of greatest concern for program-level consideration. - Championing of Safety and Mission Assurance processes and forums to foster a pervasive safety culture that is transparent, inclusive, and collaborative between all partners. These tenets have allowed the Gateway Safety and Mission Assurance function to play a key role in optimized vehicle design evolution, and early identification and mitigation of Gateway program and Artemis mission risk.

Helen Vaccaro↗
NASA NTRS2020

Identification of Scenarios for System Interface Design Evaluation: CAST SE-210 Output 2 Report 5 of 6

This report is one in a series of reports describing research to develop enhanced approaches to design and evaluation of flight deck interaction. The research was conducted to support the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) response to incidents and accidents caused by failure of the flight crew to maintain aircraft attitude or energy state awareness. This report partially responds to Safety Enhancement (SE) 210.2 (CAST, 2014) by describing development of operational scenarios for evaluation of flight crew interaction. Evaluations of human performance with an interface rely on asking humans to perform operational tasks in an appropriate operational context. The report includes the major sources of material for developing operational scenarios—which include system state, operational tasks, operational context, and safety events—and a method for developing an appropriate set of operational scenarios for interface evaluation.

commercial aviation↗
NASA NTRS2020

Preparing for Human Missions to Mars: The role of ISS and Artemis as Analogs for Research and Technology Testing

The hazards of spaceflight to the human system are present in in varying degrees on different spaceflight platforms: altered gravity, isolation and confinement, distance from Earth, radiation, and hostile closed environments. A strategic view of the fidelity of hazards experienced on different platforms can shape the testing plans for human research and technology demonstration related to crew health and performance. Working across the international partnership, the International Space Station (ISS) is planning periods of modified operations to improve the fidelity of Mars simulations. To understand transit durations as an independent variable, a series of 1-year, 6-month and 30-45 day missions are being planned on ISS. Standard measurements across ISS missions of different durations, lunar missions and ground analogs offers the opportunity to distinguish different hazards and their effects in the context of the relevance to future mission concepts. The ISS partnership is planning for additional test cases that are aligned with Mars mission plans. (1) Evaluating crew performance capabilities when transitioning to gravity after long durations in microgravity representative of a Mars transit. (2) Simulating crew medical care under Mars-like autonomous operations. (3) Identification and testing of operations under communications delay and autonomy expected for Mars missions and the linked effects on behavioral health and performance of the crew. Artemis missions serve as a valuable analogs for Mars surface operations, with partial gravity and deep space radiation hazards, but with crewmembers that are probably more physically capable than their counterparts would be after a Mars transit. Getting unobtrusive data from early Artemis missions, and knowledge gained from operational experience as Artemis operations develop can improve engineering design, medical requirements and countermeasures, and ultimately ensure mission success on Mars. Linking Mars architectures with the plans and capabilities for ISS and Artemis allows us to plan to most operationally relevant tests of crew health and performance on current spaceflight missions to inform planning for future missions to Mars. By using human spaceflight platforms as well as ground simulation in an integrated way, the international community can improve exploration readiness, develop countermeasures and reduce risks of future human space missions.

International Space Station↗
NASA NTRS2011

Identifying Geographic Areas at Risk of Soil-transmitted Helminthes Infection Using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems: Boaco, Nicaragua as a Case Study

Several types of intestinal nematodes, that can infect humans and specially school-age children living in poverty, develop part of their life cycle in soil. Presence and survival of these parasites in the soil depend on given environmental characteristics like temperature and moisture that can be inferred with remote sensing (RS) technology. Prevalence of diseases caused by these parasitic worms can be controlled and even eradicated with anthelmintic drug treatments and sanitation improvement. Reliable and updated identification of geographic areas at risk is required to implement effective public health programs; to calculate amount of drug required and to distribute funding for sanitation projects. RS technology and geographical information systems (GIS) will be used to analyze for associations between in situ prevalence and remotely sensed data in order to establish RS proxies of environmental parameters that indicate the presence of these parasits. In situ data on helminthisasis will be overlaid over an ecological map derived from RS data using ARC Map 9.3 (ESRI). Temperature, vegetation, and distance to bodies of water will be inferred using data from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat TM and ETM+. Elevation will be estimated with data from The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Prevalence and intensity of infections are determined by parasitological survey (Kato Katz) of children enrolled in rural schools in Boaco, Nicaragua, in the communities of El Roblar, Cumaica Norte, Malacatoya 1, and Malacatoya 2). This study will demonstrate the importance of an integrated GIS/RS approach to define clusters and areas at risk. Such information will help to the implementation of time and cost efficient control programs and sanitation efforts.

Moreno, Max J.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Inflight Microbial Monitoring - An Alternative Method to Culture Based Detection Currently Used on the International Space Station

Microorganisms including potential human pathogens have been detected on the International Space Station (ISS). The potential to introduce new microorganisms occurs with every exchange of crew or addition of equipment or supplies. Current microbial monitoring methods require enrichment of microorganisms and a 48-hour incubation time resulting in an increase in microbial load, detecting a limited number of unidentified microorganisms. An expedient, low-cost, in-flight method of microbial detection, identification, and enumeration is warranted.

International Space Stateion↗
NASA NTRS2020

Airspace Operations: Vision for 2045 and Beyond

We are seeing interesting changes in airspace operations. We are experiencing growth in global aviation for passenger and cargo travel. At the same time, drones of all sizes, urban air mobility, electric aircraft, commercial space transportation, supersonics, hypersonics, and increasingly autonomous vehicles will continue to mature. These operations along with current aviation will require access to airspace operations. Such access and scalability needs will only continue to increase in the future. Given that systems and procedures that will enable and support the future density and diversity takes a considerable amount of time to build and harmonize across the globe, it is appropriate that research efforts to enable 2045 operations begin now. A perfect storm is brewing as a number of factors are coming together, including: anticipated growth in diversity and density; limitations of our current system to support the growth and diversity; lack of utilization of latest technologies in an increasingly digitized world to support air traffic management; and a long lead time to conduct research, develop requirements, and built and deploy air traffic management systems. All these factors indicate that now is the time to start thinking about the needs of 2045 and beyond. In a limited manner, Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) has shown that new thinking and implementation paths for airspace operations is possible. The current system as it exists is based on many assumptions and limitations of technologies (e.g., radar, human-centered voice communications) which may not be true moving forward given the technologies around us are changing. The panel will discuss the following and related topics: 1. Expected growth in density, diversity, and needed scalability, 2. Likely requirements of air traffic management system to enable and support 2045 and beyond operations, 3. Assumptions related to air traffic management and operations that need to reevaluated based on technology trends, 4. Identification of research priorities and harmonization of research across the globe, and 5. Transition approaches from current air traffic operations to new vision 2045. The panel discussion will be useful for global air traffic management researchers, managers, strategists, airspace users, air traffic management system developers and integrators, and academic researchers.

Kopardekar, Parimal H.↗
NASA NTRS2004

An Ontology for Requesting Distant Robotic Action: A Case Study in Naming and Action Identification for Planning on the Mars Exploration Rover Mission

This paper focuses on the development and use of the abbreviated names as well as an emergent ontology associated with making requests for action of a distant robotic rover during the 2003-2004 NASA Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission, run by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The infancy of the domain of Martian telerobotic science, in which specialists request work from a rover moving through the landscape, as well as the need to consider the interdisciplinary teams involved in the work required an empirical approach. The formulation of this ontology is grounded in human behavior and work practice. The purpose of this paper is to identify general issues for an ontology of action (specifically for requests for action), while maintaining sensitivity to the users, tools and the work system within a specific technical domain. We found that this ontology of action must take into account a dynamic environment, changing in response to the movement of the rover, changes on the rover itself, as well as be responsive to the purposeful intent of the science requestors. Analysis of MER mission events demonstrates that the work practice and even robotic tool usage changes over time. Therefore, an ontology must adapt and represent both incremental change and revolutionary change, and the ontology can never be more than a partial agreement on the conceptualizations involved. Although examined in a rather unique technical domain, the general issues pertain to the control of any complex, distributed work system as well as the archival record of its accomplishments.

Wales, Roxana C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Effects of Weightlessness on Human Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology

The changes that occur in human fluid and electrolyte physiology during the acute and adaptive phases of adaptation to spaceflight are summarized. A number of questions remain to be answered. At a time when plasma volume and extracellular fluid volume are contracted and salt and water intake is unrestricted. ADH does not correct the volume deficit and serum sodium decreases. Change in secretion or activity of a natriuretic factor during spaceflight is one possible explanation. Recent identification of a polypeptide hormone produced in cardiac muscle cells which is natiuretic, is hypotensive, and has an inhibitory effect on renin and aldosterone secretion has renewed interest in the role of a natriuretic factor. The role of this atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in both long- and short-term variation in extracellular volumes and in the inability of the kidney to bring about an escape from the sodium-retaining state accompanying chronic cardiac dysfunction makes it reasonable to look for a role of ANF in the regulation of sodium during exposure to microgravity. Prostaglandin-E is another hormone that may antagonize the action of ADH. Assays of these hormones will be performed on samples from crew members in the future.

Leach, Carolyn S.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Robotic Subsurface Analyzer and Sample Handler for Resource Reconnaissance and Preliminary Site Assessment for ISRU Activities at the Lunar Cold Traps

Since the 1960s, claims have been made that water ice deposits should exist in permanently shadowed craters near both lunar poles. Recent interpretations of data from the Lunar Prospector-Neutron Spectrometer (LP- NS) confirm that significant concentrations of hydrogen exist, probably in the form of water ice, in the permanently shadowed polar cold traps. Yet, due to the large spatial resolution (45-60 Ian) of the LP-NS measurements relative to these shadowed craters (approx.5-25 km), these data offer little certainty regarding the precise location, form or distribution of these deposits. Even less is known about how such deposits of water ice might effect lunar regolith physical properties relevant to mining, excavation, water extraction and construction. These uncertainties will need to be addressed in order to validate fundamental lunar In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) precepts by 2011. Given the importance of the in situ utilization of water and other resources to the future of space exploration a need arises for the advanced deployment of a robotic and reconfigurable system for physical properties and resource reconnaissance. Based on a collection of high-TRL. designs, the Subsurface Analyzer and Sample Handler (SASH) addresses these needs, particularly determining the location and form of water ice and the physical properties of regolith. SASH would be capable of: (1) subsurface access via drilling, on the order of 3-10 meters into both competent targets (ice, rock) and regolith, (2) down-hole analysis through drill string embedded instrumentation and sensors (Neutron Spectrometer and Microscopic Imager), enabling water ice identification and physical properties measurements; (3) core and unconsolidated sample acquisition from rock and regolith; (4) sample handling and processing, with minimized contamination, sample containerization and delivery to a modular instrument payload. This system would be designed with three mission enabling goals, including: (1) a self-contained, low power, low mass, "black box'' configuration for operations from a lander, various classes of rovers or a surface-based platform with human assistance or robotic anchoring mechanisms; (2) reconfigurable and scalable sample handling for delivery to various types of instrumentation, depending on mission requirements; and (3) the use of advanced automation control and diagnostic techniques that will afford local human deployed, remote teleoperation and fully autonomous intelligent operations. Though a great deal of technology has been advanced toward these objectives, the SASH system faces significant design challenges, including the low gravity environment, various levels of autonomy in operations, radiation exposure, dust contamination, and temperature extremes and deltas. Significant input from the scientific and engineering communities, as well as a significant environmental testing program, will be required to guide the design process.

Gorevan, S. P.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The BioMole Facility: Advancement of In Situ Microbiome Analysis for the International Space Station

Characterization of the International Space Station (ISS) microbiome has been enabled by sample return and Earth-based analysis. As human exploration pushes beyond low-Earth orbit, microbial-related crew health, planetary protection, and space research requires in situ capabilities. Steps toward reducing Earth-dependence for complex sample analysis began in 2016 with the amplification of DNA within the miniPCR thermal cycler and DNA sequencing with the MinION sequencer onboard the ISS; for both, samples were prepared on Earth. In 2017, these platforms synergistically enabled the in-situ identification of unknown bacteria collected and cultured from ISS surfaces, thereby shifting the paradigm that microbial cultures had to be returned to Earth. The following year, a culture-independent, swab-to-sequencer method further advanced spaceflight microbiology, demonstrating that culturing could be excluded and provided enhanced insight into the bacterial profile of ISS surfaces. Based on the success of these payloads in confirming the ability to meet crew health identification requirements and the benefits accompanying a culture-independent method, the BioMole Facility was established by the medical operations Crew Health Care Systems team. BioMole is the set of hardware, consumables, and procedures required to support sample preparation and nanopore sequencing onboard the ISS. BioMole goals include expanding sample sources, comparing data to previous methods, demonstrating onboard data analytics, and validating new hardware. To date, comparative surface analysis, molecular- and culture-based, has been completed. Additionally, the demonstration of a sample-to-answer process was achieved when BioMole data was processed onboard using the IBM Open Data and AI Edge software platform installed on the ISS-residing Spaceborne Computer-2. The taxonomic profiles generated from the edge analysis were as expected and paralleled that of the downlinked processed data. Future BioMole efforts involve microbial profiling of the ISS water system, ISS validation of the MinION Mk1C, and an expansion to a research facility available to investigators.

Sarah L. Castro-Wallace↗
NASA NTRS1991

Measurement and modification of the EEG and related behavior

Electrophysiological changes in the sensorimotor pathways were found to accompany the effect of rhythmic EEG patterns in the sensorimotor cortex. Additionally, several striking behavioral changes were seen, including in particular an enhancement of sleep and an elevation of seizure threshold to epileptogenic agents. This raised the possibility that human seizure disorders might be influenced therapeutically by similar training. Our objective in human EEG feedback training became not only the facilitation of normal rhythmic patterns, but also the suppression of abnormal activity, thus requiring complex contingencies directed to the normalization of the sensorimotor EEG. To achieve this, a multicomponent frequency analysis was developed to extract and separate normal and abnormal elements of the EEG signal. Each of these elements was transduced to a specific component of a visual display system, and these were combined through logic circuits to present the subject with a symbolic display. Variable criteria provided for the gradual shaping of EEG elements towards the desired normal pattern. Some 50-70% of patients with poorly controlled seizure disorders experienced therapeutic benefits from this approach in our laboratory, and subsequently in many others. A more recent application of this approach to the modification of human brain function in our lab has been directed to the dichotomous problems of task overload and underload in the contemporary aviation environment. At least 70% of all aviation accidents have been attributed to the impact of these kinds of problems on crew performance. The use of EEG in this context has required many technical innovations and the application of the latest advances in EEG signal analysis. Our first goal has been the identification of relevant EEG characteristics. Additionally, we have developed a portable recording and analysis system for application in this context. Findings from laboratory and in-flight studies suggest that we will be able to detect appropriate changes in brain function, and feed this information to on-board computers for modification of mission requirements and/or crew status.

Sterman, M. B.↗