Report of the Workshop on Biology-based Technology to Enhance Human Well-being and Function in Extended Space Exploration (1998) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
2 Enhancing Human Well-being in Space Exploration
2 Enhancing Human Well-being in Space Exploration
Pages 15-35
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 15... ...
systems are needed to ensure the well-being of astronauts and to support productive research and exploration in space and on other planets. NASA anticipates that ALS systems for planetary transit vehicles will be primarily physicochemical and that complex systems with biological elements, such as systems for water recovery and waste management, plant production, and monitoring and control of such systems will be used in the habitats on planetary surfaces.
|
From page 16... ...
.. Spacecraft and Habitats Transit vehicles and planetary surface habitats used in the human exploration of Mars and for other long-duration missions must protect their occupants from vacuum, low-pressure atmospheres, radiation, extremes of temperature, clinging particles of dust, micrometeorites, and chemically reactive soils.
|
From page 17... ...
may provide insights that could be applied to the development of highly efficient systems for closed-loop regenerative ALS systems for extended · space missions. Aquaculture technology for on-site recovery of useful gases and water in planetary surface habitats could be enhanced by the identification of innovative fermentation technologies used in waste treatment to produce useful products.
|
From page 18... ...
Develop Plants for Use as Food and Other Consumables Plants will be essential for human well-being in extended space exploration,3 and their role in closed ecological life support systems has been studied extensively by NASA. Plants can be used not only as food and as a source of useful materials and chemicals, but also for management of CO2 and other waste materials (NRC, 1988~.
|
From page 19... ...
Because of the number of specific traits that may need to be altered in individual plants to adapt them to the space environment, genetic engineering rather than conventional breeding methods wall probably be necessary. Genetic engineering allows the introduction of individual genes into virtually any flowering plant using a particle gun (particle bombardment)
|
From page 20... ...
it might also be possible to engineer multipurpose plants that could provide complete dietary requirements for humans. However, genetic properties have been-examined and expressed only in Earth's atmosphere and not under conditions anticipated for planetary surface habitats.
|
From page 21... ...
Identifying types of specific diseasecausing organisms likely to be encountered in space horticulture and development of resistant plants represents a short-term research area. s Because the amount of photonic energy that must be actually converted to synthesize I gram of cell dry mass is fixed by the laws of thermodynamics, lower light intensity will result in lower cell mass production rates per unit volume for any plant physiology.
|
From page 22... ...
Plants might be engineered, for example, to produce melanin for protection against ultraviolet radiation on planetary surfaces or to have DNA repair enzymes to counter the effects of other types of radiation damage. Further research is needed to define metabolic products and enzymes that might help to confer radiation resistance under simulated flight conditions, or, alternatively, to identify and transfer genes for radiation resistance from bacteria or insects to plants.
|
From page 23... ...
Starch has several possible applications. It can be used to produce biodegradable plastics for use as building materials, and as a hydrogen-r~ch compound starch can serve as a source of fuel.
|
From page 24... ...
Facilitate Detection of Pollutants and Pathogens, and Monitor Health Status Maintaining human health and well-being during extended space exploration will require lightweight and durable monitoring systems to ensure that air and water do not contain diseasecausing pathogens or discomfort-causing levels of pollutants. Ways will also be needed to monitor the physiological and genetic state of microorganisms serving useful functions on spacecraft and in planetary habitats, such as microorganisms grown to produce end products such as organic acids and alcohols for use as a potential power source (Warsaw 1 996)
|
From page 25... ...
Molecular methods such as rRNA sequencing, DNA probes, and chromosome painting (i.e., hybridization with whole-chromosome DNA probes with fluorescent stains) are available for in situ detection and characterization of individual microbial cells without cultivation (Amann et al., 1995; Matheson et al., 1997; Giovannoni et al., 1996a,b,c; Lanoi} and Giovannoni, 1997; Suzuki et al., 19971.9 The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program funds a program to develop automated and miniaturized DNA diagnostic tools.~° Research is needed to simplify molecular methods for use on planetary surfaces or transit vehicles and to adapt such methods for use in detecting organisms in air arid water; the latter task includes the development of reference libraries for organisms of concern.
|
From page 26... ...
Analytical methods based on gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, and fatty acid analysis with flow cytometry are currently used to identify and count microorganisms in water samples and to detect and differentiate microorganisms in environmental samples. Their relevance and application for use in transit vehicles and planetary surface habitats need to be assessed.
|
From page 27... ...
However, use of wipes containing biocides for cleaning and microbial control needs to be reevaluated. Microorganisms can adapts to the biocides used, and overuse of biocides can result in the replacement of the normal flora on surface with resistant forms, thereby rendering biocides ineffective.
|
From page 28... ...
. Because it may be impossible to totally protect all biological systems from radiation damage on transit vehicles or planetary surface habitats, it may be necessary to provide a safe ~At, ~r ~· ~· ~· q ~ shelter for a ''biological archived (e.g., microorganisms used in ALS systems or seeds for horticulture)
|
From page 29... ...
Research areas offering short-term payoffs include identification and management of disease-causing organisms likely to occur in space horticulture, cultivation of algae as a source of materials and food, and the use of enzymatic catalysts for housekeeping to control the growth of microorganisms on transit vehicles and in planetary surface habitats. Research areas offering long-term payoffs include the genetic engineering of plants to meet defined performance goals for sDaceflight and biotechnologies to enhance radiation protection and monitoring.
|
From page 30... ...
1993. Quantitative analysis of low molecular weight compounds of biological interest by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization.
|
From page 31... ...
1995. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectroscopy for profiling organic constituents of water samples.
|
From page 32... ...
1997. Use of gas chromotography-ion trap tandem mass spectrometry for the detection and characterization of microorganisms in complex samples.
|
From page 33... ...
1997. Calcium bioavailablity of vegetarian diets in rats: Potential application in a bioregenerative life-support system.
|
From page 34... ...
1995. Analysis of plant harvest indices for bioregeneration life support systems.
|
From page 35... ...
1996. Direct analysis of aqueous samples by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry using membrane targets precoated with matrix.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.