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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Gateway as a Building Block for Space Exploration and Development

The Gateway, which will be a small, human-tended space station in orbit around the Moon, is an example of the building block approach to space exploration and development. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) leads the Gateway Program and serves as the integrator of the spaceflight capabilities and contributions of U.S. commercial partners and international partners. Gateway is a cornerstone of deep space human exploration, one critical element of the strategies and architectures that will enable human exploration of the solar system. This paper will outline: 1) The concept of operations and describe how Gateway is a multipurpose space station, supporting lunar surface missions, cis-lunar research, and as a proving ground for human missions to Mars; 2) Gateway’s international partnerships as an expansion of the partnerships of the “second generation of space programmes,” namely the International Space Station (ISS); and 3) Future commercial, scientific, and technology demonstration opportunities that this infrastructure building block provides. Lastly, the strategies and architectures for future space exploration and development must include thoughtful approaches to the management and business operations of government space programs. This includes planning for limited outyear growth in budgets, partnership and acquisition strategies, pursuing public-private partnerships and the use of firm-fixed price contracts, enabling vendor-to-vendor relationships, the use of multilateral interoperability standards, and incorporating key lessons learned from prior governmental Programs. This paper will discuss the strategies and approaches undertaken when establishing the Gateway Program at the NASA Johnson Space Center in 2019 and the current operational status of this new, lean, and efficient Program.

Gateway↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Gateway as a Building Block for Space Exploration and Development

The Gateway, which will be a small, human-tended space station in orbit around the Moon, is an example of the building block approach to space exploration and development. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) leads the Gateway Program and serves as the integrator of the spaceflight capabilities and contributions of U.S. commercial partners and international partners. Gateway is a cornerstone of deep space human exploration, one critical element of the strategies and architectures that will enable human exploration of the solar system. This paper will outline: 1) The concept of operations and describe how Gateway is a multi-purpose space station, supporting lunar surface missions, cis-lunar research, and as a proving ground for human missions to Mars; 2) Gateway’s international partnerships as an expansion of the partnerships of the “second generation of space programmes,” namely the International Space Station (ISS); and 3) Future commercial, scientific, and technology demonstration opportunities that this infrastructure building block provides. Lastly, the strategies and architectures for future space exploration and development must include thoughtful approaches to the management and business operations of government space programs. This includes planning for limited outyear growth in budgets, partnership and acquisition strategies, pursuing public-private partnerships and the use of firm-fixed price contracts, enabling vendor-to-vendor relationships, the use of multilateral interoperability standards, and incorporating key lessons learned from prior governmental Programs. This paper will discuss the strategies and approaches undertaken when establishing the Gateway Program at the NASA Johnson Space Center in 2019 and the current operational status of this new, lean, and efficient Program.

Gateway↗

NASA NTRS1974

Proton tissue dose for the blood forming organ in human geometry: Isotropic radiation

A computer program is described which calculates doses averaged within five major segments of the blood forming organ in the human body taking into account selfshielding of the detailed body geometry and nuclear star effects for proton radiation of arbitrary energy spectrum (energy less than 1 GeV) and isotropic angular distribution. The dose calculation includes the first term of an asymptotic series expansion of transport theory which is known to converge rapidly for most points in the human body. The result is always a conservative estimate of dose and is given as physical dose (rad) and dose equivalent (rem).

Khandelwal, G. S.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Emerging and Re-Emerging Leishmaniases in the Mediterranean Area: What Can Be Learned from a Retrospective Review Analysis of the Situation in Morocco during 1990 to 2010?

In Morocco, cutaneous and visceral leishmaniases represent a public health concern. In this opinion paper, we propose to highlight chosen elements that have governed the drastic increase in the incidence of leishmaniases recorded in Morocco during the period between 1990 to 2010 in order to guide the prediction of the expansion of diseases and epidemic events. We highlight that the dispersion of the zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) form, caused by the Leishmania major parasite, appears to be closely related to that of its arthropod vector density, which is sensitive to changes in climate. The dissemination of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) was related to an increase in human travel and local tourism during the studied decades. These are linked to economic expansion and infrastructure development. Interestingly, the main ACL foci are spatially aligned with the highways, and their occurrence was synchronized with the building of transportation infrastructure. During the above-mentioned decades, the zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL)caused by Leishmania infantum has expanded from its historical northern territories, dispersing outwards in all directions. This spread follows the emergence of hamlets and villages connecting with major cities.

leishmaniases↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Effects of Spatial Resolution on Retropropulsion Aerodynamics in an Atmospheric Environment

Development of a powered descent capability for atmospheric environments is heavily reliant on computational simulation. The prohibitive computational cost of such simulations motivates an improvement in the understanding of the minimum computational fidelity re-quired to accurately characterize aerodynamic-propulsive interference for such applications. This work examines the applicability of detached eddy simulation methods for retropropulsion in atmospheric environments through utilization of a GPU-accelerated computational framework, yielding data that are largely unachievable with conventional high-performance computing resources. This effort was specifically designed to quantitatively assess the effects of spatial resolution on vehicle aerodynamics for nominal operation of a low lift-to-drag ratio, human-scale Mars lander concept. The test matrix and scaling approach span relevant nozzle expansion conditions as well as mid-supersonic to high-subsonic operating conditions. Solutions were generated using computational grids ranging from 143 million to 1.14 billion grid points (degrees of freedom). This paper will provide an overview of the computational campaign, approach, and discussion of preliminary results focused on a range of operating conditions for a conceptual low lift-to-drag, human-scale Mars lander.

Ashley M Korzun↗

DOE OSTI2026

Human NLRP3 inflammasome activation leads to formation of condensate at the microtubule organizing center

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a multiprotein molecular machine that drives inflammatory responses in innate immunity. Although its dysregulation is implicated in numerous human diseases, its structural organization in cells remains poorly understood. Here, we used precise fluorescence-guided cryo–focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) milling and cryo–electron tomography (cryo-ET) to visualize NLRP3 inflammasomes in situ within human macrophages at various stages of activation. After priming and activation, we observed expansion and dispersion of Golgi cisternae, along with the emergence of 50-nanometer NLRP3-associated vesicles, which likely transport NLRP3 to the MTOC. Dense NLRP3-containing condensates then formed in and around the MTOC. In later stages, the condensates solidified, coincident with widespread mitochondrial damage, autophagy, and pyroptotic cell death.

Wang, Jue [Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engi↗

NASA NTRS1972

Control information in visual flight

The purpose of the inquiry is to determine how precisely a pilot can estimate the movements of his vehicle, and thus exercise control, during an unaided visual approach. The method is to relate changes in the forward view, due to movements along and across the approach path, to human visual thresholds and errors. The scope is restricted to effects of inclination, expansion, size, and rotation in runway features during approaches at small angles of elevation. Quantitative relations are given which provide a basis for ranking the several information mechanisms. Alignment by inclination of a ground line is found to be an accurate lateral mechanism, probably superior to the expansion mechanism. Vertical control mechanisms are complex, of questionable accuracy, and difficult to rank. The results throw some doubt on the usefulness of a runway symbol as a source of displayed information.

Naish, J. M.↗

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 NTRS2016

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

Fitz, Rhonda↗

NASA NTRS2015

An Integrated Economics Model for ISRU in Support of a Mars Colony - Initial Status Report

The aim of this effort is to develop an integrated set of risk-based financial and technical models to evaluate multiple Off-Earth Mining (OEM) scenarios. This quantitative, scenario- and simulation-based tool will help identify combinations of market variables, technical parameters, and policy levers that will enable the expansion of the global economy into the solar system and return economic benefits. Human ventures in space are entering a new phase in which missions formerly driven by government agencies are now being replaced by those led by commercial enterprises - in launch, satellite deployment, resupply of the International Space Station, and space tourism. In the not-too-distant future, commercial opportunities will also include the mining of asteroids, the Moon, and Mars. This investigation will examine the role of OEM in a growing space economy. (In this investigation, the term 'mining' is taken to embrace minerals, ice/water, and other in situ resources.) OEM can be the engine that drives the space economy, so it would be useful to understand what OEM market conditions and technology requirements are needed for that economy to prosper. These specific elements will be studied in the wider context of creating an economy that could ultimately support a sustainable Mars Colony. Such a colony will need in situ resources not only for its own survival, but to prosper and grow, it must create viable business ventures, essentially by fulfilling the demand for in situ resources from and on Mars. This investigation will focus on understanding the role and economic prospect for OEM associated with the Human Colonization of Mars (HCM).

architecture framework↗

DOE OSTI2024

Mist

Determining the appropriate material data is often a bottleneck for performing calculations/simulations of industrial/experimental processes and resulting material structures and properties. Beyond the time it takes to find the appropriate values in the literature, many judgement calls are involved in choosing the values. These judgement calls can lead to inconsistencies between steps in research workflow, where different material parameter values are used. Mist solves this problem by providing a mechanism to store, share, and use material information in convenient human-readable and machine-readable formats. Mist has an extensible ontology for defining a wide variety of material information, currently focused on metal alloy applications. Examples include: alloy composition, density, liquidus temperature, and the coefficient of thermal expansion. Mist converts between standardized machine-readable data formats (e.g. JSON), specialized input format for simulation tools, and human-readable documents (e.g. LaTeX, Markdown). For parameters defined by an equation (e.g. a polynomial function) or a list of tabulated values, Mist can evaluate parameter values at requested conditions. Mist also provides an API for direct usage of the Mist data structures in calculations, if supported.

DeWitt, Stephen [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (OR↗

DOE OSTI2025

Compounding effects of climate change and WUI expansion quadruple the likelihood of extreme-impact wildfires in California

Previous research has examined individual factors contributing to wildfire risk, but the compounding effects of these factors remain underexplored. Here, we introduce the “Integrated Human-centric Wildfire Risk Index (IHWRI)” to quantify the compounding effects of fire-weather intensification and anthropogenic factors—including ignitions and human settlement into wildland—on wildfire risk. While climatic trends increased the frequency of high-risk fire-weather by 2.5-fold, the combination of this trend with wildland-urban interface expansion led to a 4.1-fold increase in the frequency of conditions conducive to extreme-impact wildfires from 1990 to 2022 across California. More than three-quarters of extreme-impact wildfires—defined as the top 20 largest, most destructive, or deadliest events on record—originated within 1 km from the wildland-urban interface. The deadliest and most destructive wildfires—90% of which were human-caused—primarily occurred in the fall, while the largest wildfires—56% of which were human-caused—mostly took place in the summer. By integrating human activity and climate change impacts, we provide a holistic understanding of human-centric wildfire risk, crucial for policy development.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1975

Comparison of water immersion and saline infusion as a means of inducing volume expansion in man

The study compares the natriuresis induced by head-out water immersion to that of a standard saline infusion and assesses the relative effectiveness of these two techniques as volume determinants of renal sodium and water handling in humans in a seated posture. The data obtained show that the volume stimulus of immersion is identical to that of standard saline-induced extracellular fluid volume expansion (ECVE) in normal seated subjects. The ability of head-out water immersion to induce a natriuresis without a concomitant increase in total blood volume and with a decrease in body weight suggests that water immersion may be preferred as an investigative tool for assessing the effects of ECVE in man.

Epstein, M.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Increased renal tubular sodium reabsorption during exercise-induced hypervolemia in humans

We tested the hypothesis that renal tubular Na(+) reabsorption increased during the first 24 h of exercise-induced plasma volume expansion. Renal function was assessed 1 day after no-exercise control (C) or intermittent cycle ergometer exercise (Ex, 85% of peak O(2) uptake) for 2 h before and 3 h after saline loading (12.5 ml/kg over 30 min) in seven subjects. Ex reduced renal blood flow (p-aminohippurate clearance) compared with C (0.83 +/- 0.12 vs. 1.49 +/- 0.24 l/min, P < 0.05) but did not influence glomerular filtration rates (97 +/- 10 ml/min, inulin clearance). Fractional tubular reabsorption of Na(+) in the proximal tubules was higher in Ex than in C (P < 0.05). Saline loading decreased fractional tubular reabsorption of Na(+) from 99.1 +/- 0.1 to 98.7 +/- 0.1% (P < 0.05) in C but not in Ex (99.3 +/- 0.1 to 99.4 +/- 0.1%). Saline loading reduced plasma renin activity and plasma arginine vasopressin levels in C and Ex, although the magnitude of decrease was greater in C (P < 0.05). These results indicate that, during the acute phase of exercise-induced plasma volume expansion, increased tubular Na(+) reabsorption is directed primarily to the proximal tubules and is associated with a decrease in renal blood flow. In addition, saline infusion caused a smaller reduction in fluid-regulating hormones in Ex. The attenuated volume-regulatory response acts to preserve distal tubular Na(+) reabsorption during saline infusion 24 h after exercise.

NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗

NASA NTRS1986

Effect of hydration on plasma volume and endocrine responses to water immersion

The effect of hydration status on early endocrine responses and on osmotic and intravascular volume changes during immersion was determined in humans undergoing successive periods of dehydration, immersion, rehydration, and immersion. Immersion caused an isotonic expansion of plasma volume, as well as suppression of plasma renin activity and aldosterone, which all occurred independently of hydration status. On the other hand, the concentration of plasma vasopressin (PVP) was found to decrease during dehydrated immersion, but not during rehydrated immersion. It is concluded that plasma tonicity is not a factor influencing PVP suppression during water immersion.

Harrison, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Automated Portable Test (APT) System: overview and prospects

The Automated Portable Test (APT) System is a notebook-sized, computer-based, human-performance and subjective-status assessment system. It is now being used in a wide range of environmental studies (e.g., simulator aftereffects, flight tests, drug effects, and hypoxia). Three questionnaires and 15 performance tests have been implemented, and the adaptation of 30 more tests is underway or is planned. The APT System is easily transportable, is inexpensive, and has the breadth of expansion options required for field and laboratory applications. The APT System is a powerful and expandable tool for human assessment in remote and unusual environments.

Aerospace Medicine/instrumentation↗

NASA NTRS1990

The Centauri project: Manned interstellar travel

The development of antimatter engines for spacecraft propulsion will allow man to expand to the nearest stellar neighbors such as the Alpha Centuri system. Compared to chemically powered rockets like the Apollo mission class which would take 50,000 years to reach the Centauri system, antimatter propulsion would reduce one way trip time to 30 years or less. The challenges encountered by manned interstellar travel are formidable. The spacecraft must be a combination of sublight speed transportation system and a traveling microplanet serving an expanding population. As the population expands from the initial 100 people to approximately 300, the terraformed asteroid, enclosed by a man-made shell will allow for expansion over its surface in the fashion of a small terrestrial town. All aspects of human life - birth; death; physical, emotional, and educational needs; and government and law must be met by the structure, systems, and institutions on-board.

Ciesla, Thomas M.↗

NASA NTRS2023

Dual Genes of Muscle Cell Senescence: Unraveling the Radiation-Induced Roles of HDAC4 and MORC2a

As the human race ventures further into space and plans missions to explore the Moon and the expanse that lies ahead, addressing health challenges that may hinder exploration becomes an imperative task. However, limited research exists on the molecular mechanisms within skeletal muscle cells in response to long-term radiation-induced oxidative stress. Upon analyzing GLDS-426 from the GeneLab Repository, upregulation of the DNA damage response gene HDAC4 in space radiation conditions with 1G was observed, where radiation-induced oxidative stress increased DNA damage. DNA damage response gene MORC2a was found to be downregulated in space radiation conditions in 1G with a culture treatment of nanoceria, an antioxidant that alleviates the effects of oxidative stress and causes less DNA damage. Literature review further indicated that MORC2a recruits HDAC4 at the promoter to prevent the transcription of p21. Upregulation of p21 has been linked to cell senescence and muscle atrophy on Earth, but no research has studied its changes in radiation conditions. To address the knowledge gap regarding the HDAC4/MORC2a pathway impact on p21 expression in radiation, our experiment aims to silence HDAC4 and MORC2a in the Mus musculus C2C12 cell culture line. These cultures will be exposed to radiation to assess the effects on cellular senescence (Aim 1). Additionally, we will silence p21 and subject the cell cultures to radiation to measure muscle cell proliferation (Aim 2). Muscle atrophy in future long-term space missions can contribute to the risk of degenerative diseases and hinder the completion of tasks in space. Furthermore, exploring the impact of these genes on muscle atrophy may provide therapeutic insights for individuals experiencing skeletal muscle degeneration and elderly individuals affected by sarcopenia.

GL4HS↗