Workshop on Research Enabled by the Lunar Environment
June 14-15, 2007
National Academy of Sciences Building 2100 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC
View final agenda here. View presentations here. Email us.
A two day workshop will be conducted to generate a community exchange of ideas and a discussion of recent research relevant to human space exploration topics. The workshop focus will be on capabilities that NASA will need to develop in order to enable future human exploration of space, with the intent of obtaining a wide range of inputs on the key scientific and technological questions that can be addressed through research during lunar missions.
Background In response to the Vision for Space Exploration, NASA has developed a transportation strategy for extending human presence to the Moon, Mars, and beyond and is in the process of developing architectures for both robotic and human lunar missions. An important aspect of the lunar architecture is the definition of the major scientific and technical goals, including preparation for Mars exploration, that NASA should consider addressing through lunar-based research and technology validation. NASA desires that those scientific and technical goals be consistent with the broad potential of the return to the Moon and provide the greatest contributions to the nation’s space-faring abilities, scientific progress, and economic and social benefits. To help ensure that these goals are met, NASA is interested in identifying key scientific (and technological) questions whose examination would be enabled by access to the Moon and cis-lunar space. These questions would be informed by NASA’s plans for lunar exploration and goals for lunar habitation and Mars exploration, and identify lunar-based research goals that are useful or necessary in order to make the greatest contribution to increasing knowledge and support NASA’s exploration goals. Of highest priority are those unique concepts that require utilization of the Moon or cis-lunar environment.
Workshop Approach During this two day workshop invited speakers will be asked to consider what research issues should be addressed in order to enable the development of effective and reliable technologies, processes, and systems to support long-term human exploration goals in space. The research considered by the workshop may range from the mechanistic level to proof-of-concept testing. The topics covered by the workshop may extend from research needed to develop biomedical countermeasures for the effects of long-term habitation in a space environment, to the study of physical phenomena underlying the development and operation of power systems that will be required to support human exploration of space – including human missions to Mars. Each workshop session will focus on a broad exploration capability, such as In Situ Resource Utilization, and will include an open discussion following the presentations. This workshop is intended to inform the design for a later study to identify opportunities to carry out research needed to enable far-term human exploration goals, including research that would lay the groundwork for new areas of technology development. Please send us your views on the important research challenges in enabling capabilities (such as technologies and processes) for human exploration. We welcome comments addressing the goals of the Lunar Research and Technology workshop and study via email. When you email us, please include your full name, title, and institution. Selected comments may be posted on the Lunar Research and Technology webpage. Final agenda. Discussants list. View comments here (send comments via email). View workshop organizing committee roster here.
Relevant Documents
Background Documents	Past NRC Reports
• NASA’s Lunar Robotic Architecture Study	• Microgravity Research in Support of Technologies for the Human Exploration and Development of Space and Planetary Bodies
• NASA’s Exploration Systems Architecture Study	• A Strategy for Research in Space Biology and Medicine into the Next Century
• The Global Exploration Strategy: The Framework for Coordination
Relevant Links
• 2nd Space Exploration Conference, Dec. 4-6, 2006	• Lunar Exploration and Analysis Group
• Overview Presentations from Global Exploration Strategy Workshop, April 25, 2006 Agenda Scott Horowitz, Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Doug Cooke, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems	• Lunar Knowledge Requirements for Human Exploration Workshop, March 1-3, 2004 • NASA Lunar Exploration Objectives • Microgravity Master List (Archive)
• NASA ESMD Technology Exchange Conference, Nov. 14-15, 2007
Workshop Organizing Committee
Mary Jane Osborn (NAS), chair University of Connecticut Health Center	Edward D. McCullough Boeing Phantom Works
Susan C. Doll Earth Institute at Columbia University	Simon Ostrach (NAE) Case Western Reserve University
Jack Knight Independent Consultant
Staff
Sandra Graham Study Director	Victoria Swisher Research Associate
Maureen Mellody Program Officer	Carmela Chamberlain Program Associate

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