Space Biology Beyond LEO Instrumentation & Science Series - Science Working Group 2021 Annual Report

Human space exploration was never intended to stop within low Earth orbit (LEO). Although nearly all of biological research in space has taken place in LEO, on the Space Shuttle,
International Space Station (ISS), and free-flyer CubeSat missions, NASA's recent shift in
emphasis toward human exploration of the Moon and ultimately Mars necessitates a shift in the
focus of its research in the biological sciences [1]. Specifically, in 2022 and beyond, the Division
of Biological and Physical Sciences seeks to pivot toward a focus on Thriving In DEep Space
(TIDES), furthering the fundamental research necessary for understanding risks and mitigation
strategies for deep-space stressors on human crew, plants, and their microbiomes. This effort
entails both research on model organisms to elucidate the molecular processes underlying the
biological consequences of deep-space exposure, and research on the organisms that will be
necessary companions to sustain life and facilitate resource utilization in long-duration missions.