Review of NASA’s Evidence
Reports on Human Health Risks

2015 LETTER REPORT

Committee to Review NASA’s Evidence Reports
on Human Health Risks

Board on Health Sciences Policy

Carol E. H. Scott-Conner, Daniel R. Masys, and
Catharyn T. Liverman, Editors

Institute of Medicine

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, DC

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This project was supported by Contract NNH13CK19B, Task Order NNH13CK20D, between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-38061-4
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-38061-8
Digital Object Identifier: 10.17226/21844

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Review of NASA’s evidence reports on human health risks: 2015 letter report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21844.

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COMMITTEE TO REVIEW NASA’S EVIDENCE REPORTS
ON HUMAN HEALTH RISKS

CAROL E. H. SCOTT-CONNER (Chair), University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City

DANIEL R. MASYS (Vice Chair), University of Washington, Seattle

SUSAN A. BLOOMFIELD, Texas A&M University, College Station

C. PATRICK DUNNE, Dunne Solutions, Framingham, MA

BRAD HOLSCHUH, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

MICHAEL J. JOYNER, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

JAMES A. PAWELCZYK, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

K. P. SANDEEP, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

ROBERT L. SATCHER, JR., University of Texas, Houston

JACK STUSTER, Anacapa Sciences, Santa Barbara, CA

SCOTT TRAPPE, Ball State University, Muncie, IN

PETER D. WAGNER, University of California, San Diego

GAYLE E. WOLOSCHAK, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL

LAURENCE R. YOUNG, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

IOM Staff

CATHARYN T. LIVERMAN, Study Director

CLAIRE F. GIAMMARIA, Research Associate

JUDITH L. ESTEP, Program Associate

SOPHIE YANG, Research Assistant

ANDREW M. POPE, Director, Board on Health Sciences Policy

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Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they did not see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by GLORIA LEON, University of Minnesota, who served as the coordinator. She was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

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Contents

COMMITTEE’S TASK AND OVERARCHING ISSUES

THE NASA HUMAN RESEARCH ROADMAP

RISK OF IMPAIRED PERFORMANCE DUE TO REDUCED MUSCLE MASS, STRENGTH, AND ENDURANCE

RISK OF REDUCED PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES DUE TO REDUCED AEROBIC CAPACITY

RISK OF ORTHOSTATIC INTOLERANCE DURING RE-EXPOSURE TO GRAVITY

RISK OF INJURY AND COMPROMISED PERFORMANCE DUE TO EVA OPERATIONS

RISK OF DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS

RISK OF PERFORMANCE DECREMENT AND CREW ILLNESS DUE TO AN INADEQUATE FOOD SYSTEM

RISK FACTOR OF INADEQUATE NUTRITION

SUMMARY

REFERENCES

APPENDIXES

A Meeting Agendas

B Committee Biographical Sketches