A New Era
in Space

Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research
A Decadal Survey for 2023–2032

Decadal surveys of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine bring together leading experts to identify a field’s most compelling science challenges and frontiers for the next decade and beyond. This booklet highlights key themes and recommendations from the most recent decadal survey for biological and physical sciences (BPS) research in space, Thriving in Space: Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023–2032 (available online at https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26750).

The Thriving in Space decadal survey represents a grand undertaking, involving 18 steering committee members supported by three panels of more than 50 experts who collectively reviewed nearly 300 input papers and speaker presentations during a deliberative process spanning more than 2 years. The resulting report reviewed the state of knowledge in the current and emerging areas of space-related BPS research and generated recommendations for a comprehensive vision and strategy for a decade of transformative science at the frontiers of BPS research in space. Thriving in Space identified key scientific questions, priorities, and ambitious research campaigns that will enable human space exploration and transform our understanding of how the universe works.

STEERING COMMITTEE

ROBERT J. FERL, University of Florida, Co-Chair

KRYSTYN J. VAN VLIET, Cornell University, Co-Chair

ADAM P. ARKIN, University of California, Berkeley

SUSAN M. BAILEY, Colorado State University

DEBJYOTI BANERJEE, Texas A&M University

PAUL M. CHAIKIN (NAS), New York University

KATHLEEN E. CULLEN, Johns Hopkins University

DANIEL H. GESCHWIND (NAM), University of California, Los Angeles

ROBERT W. HYERS, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

YIGUANG JU, Princeton University

CHRISTOPHER E. MASON, Weill Cornell Medicine

MICHAEL J. PECAUT, Loma Linda University

WILLIE S. ROCKWARD, Morgan State University

ELBA E. SERRANO, New Mexico State University

PETER VOROBIEFF, University of New Mexico

RONALD L. WALSWORTH, University of Maryland

SARAH WYATT, Ohio University

LUIS ZEA,¹ University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center

ZHUOMIN ZHANG, Georgia Institute of Technology

STAFF

DWAYNE A. DAY, Senior Program Officer, Study Director (from February 2022)

ARUL MOZHI, Associate Board Director, Study Director (from August 2022)

GREGORY MACK, Senior Program Officer, Study Director (February 2022 to August 2022)

SANDRA J. GRAHAM, Senior Program Officer, Study Director (January 2021 to February 2022)

JULIE ANNE SCHUCK, Senior Program Officer

ERIK SVEDBERG, Scholar

STEVEN MOSS, Senior Program Officer

GAYBRIELLE HOLBERT, Senior Program Assistant

DIONNA WISE, Program Associate

COLLEEN N. HARTMAN, Director, Aeronautics, Astronomy, Physics, and Space Science

The Space Studies Board and the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board are units of the National Academies, which provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.

Support for this publication was provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contracts NNH17CB02B and 80HQTR22DA001).

The Space Studies Board acknowledges Jennifer Olson for drafting the text of this booklet.

Cover: A zinnia plant floats through the U.S. Destiny Laboratory aboard the International Space Station. Growing the zinnias provided an opportunity for scientists to better understand how plants grow in microgravity, and for astronauts to practice doing what they will be tasked with on a deep space mission: autonomous gardening.

Copyright 2024 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

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¹ Resigned on June 28, 2022, upon change of work affiliation.