Another Disconnect Between NASA and CASIS
NASA Research Opportunities in Space Biology
“This NASA Research Announcement (NRA) solicits hypothesis-driven Space Biology research proposals for 1) Ground-Based Research Designed to Lead to Space Flight, 2) Rapid Turn-Around Space Flight Experiments 3) ISS Flight Experiments and 4) New Space Biology Investigations. NASA Space Biology experiments have one or more of the following primary goals: 1) to effectively use microgravity and the other characteristics of the space environment to enhance our understanding of basic biological processes; 2) to develop the scientific and technological foundations for a safe, productive human presence in space for extended periods and in preparation for exploration; and 3) to apply this knowledge and technology to improve our nation’s competitiveness, education, and the quality of life on Earth. NASA Space Biology (SB) experiments will be designed to discover how space flight affects a diverse group of microorganisms, plants, and animals; study the effects of gravity (g) across the g-spectrum, i.e., from micro- to hyper-gravity; and characterize the biological effects of radiation, magnetic fields, and the interaction amongst species in the unusual environments of space and spacecraft.”
Keith’s note: This NASA space biology solicitation makes no mention of CASIS. CASIS makes no mention of it on their website. This is somewhat baffling given that this is exactly the sort of research CASIS is supposed to be doing on the ISS. Indeed, their website says:
“Biosciences will be the first research area that CASIS will promote for National Lab utilization. Access to space will give researchers a unique discovery platform for biological and physical processes that can significantly affect cell biology, human health, macromolecular crystal growth and microencapsulation.”
I find it baffling that this solicitation includes “primary goals” which, it would seem to me, put unnecessary limits on the research that might be included. I would have liked to have seen it left as wide open and cross-disciplinary as possible.
Steve
Steve, I don’t see a problem with listing primary goals. Its good to see that NASA can enunciate goals at all and the statements don’t exclude secondary and tertiary goals. Unlimited, unbounded, undefined, random-walk research activities can bring on or result in losses just as much as a bounding from stating primary goals can result in losses.
As for the article’s view of a disconnected CASIS and NASA, while their efforts may be adjacent to one another and they may be using the same on orbit facilities, their missions and purposes (think venn diagram) are certainly not fully overlapping. NASA is more at research to work operational capabilities (think astronaut survival) whereas CASIS is more at research, but with commercial aspects, ones that NASA is prevented from engaging in with the private sector. Some activities overlap. Some do not.
It would not be surprising for several years of “turf adjustment” to take place between NASA and CASIS before the domain of each will settle out.