The Augustine panel deliberating options for the future of the human space flight program has determined that it does not need an additional public meeting to complete its work. The panel had been holding August 24 as a contingency date. NASA announced this afternoon that the meeting would not be held.

The NRC Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space held a joint meeting of six of its seven panels in August 2009. Two of the days, August 19-20, had open sessions where NASA officials gave various presentations about past and present funding for research aboard the International Space Station (ISS), facilities currently aboard the ISS or expected to be launched before assembly of ISS is completed, the use of “free flyers” for this type of research, and other topics of interest. Click on the links below to see the Powerpoint presentations.

Day 1

• Benjamin Neumann, NASA/Exploration Systems Missions Directorate (ESMD): Expectations from the Study and NASA”s Plans of Utilization of the Study
• David Tomko, NASA/ESMD: History of Life and Physical Research Programs at NASA
• John Hines, NASA/Ames Research Center: Free Flyer Utilization for Biological Experiments
• David Tomko and Francis Chiaramonte, NASA/ESMD: Research Portfolio in Life and Physical Sciences: Ground based and planned flight experiments
• Julie Robinson, ISS Program Scientist, Johnson Space Center: International Space Station: Research Capabilities in Life & Physical Sciences–Early Utilization Results
• Mike Wargo, Executive Secretary, LEAG: The US Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) & the Lunar Exploration Roadmap
• Christopher Moore, NASA/ESMD: Key Capabilities for Exploration Enabled by Life and Physical Sciences Research

Day 2

• James Polk, Chief, Space Medicine, NASA: Flight Surgeon Perspectives: Gaps in Human Health, Performance, and Safety
• Mike Gernhardt, Integrating Life Sciences, Engineering, & Operations Research to Optimize Human Safety and Performance in Planetary Exploration

Betsy Cantwell, co-chair of the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space, called that study probably the “last and best hope” for a science and engineering community that has been battered by deep funding cuts and management shifts over the past several years.

Dr. Cantwell made the comment Wednesday after summarizing a host of past studies that made recommendations about biological and physical research that enables and is enabled by human exploration of space. She was opening a joint meeting of six of the seven panels working under the aegis of the Decadal Survey’s steering committee that met in open session in Washington, D.C. yesterday and today. The Powerpoint presentations are available here.

This Decadal Survey is mandated to prioritize both fundamental and applied biological and physical research in microgravity (e.g., aboard the International Space Station) and partial gravity (e.g., on the Moon or Mars). NRC Decadal Surveys are well established community-based priority setting exercises for most space science disciplines, but this is the first in the field of biological and physical sciences. Congress directed NASA to request the NRC to conduct the study in the joint explanatory statement accompanying the FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act (P.L. 101-161). Decadal Surveys take their name from the fact that they prioritize research for the next 10 years (a decade) and are repeated about every 10 years. Two other Decadal Surveys in space science disciplines also are underway.

The biological and physical sciences in space community (often called the “microgravity” community) has had its hopes raised and dashed over the past decade as expected funding was reallocated to complete construction of the International Space Station (ISS), restored, and then reallocated again to fund the Ares/Orion system. With ISS assembly close to completion, focus now is turning to what fundamental and applied research can be conducted aboard that “National Laboratory.” In addition, research will be needed to ensure the safety and health of humans traveling beyond low Earth orbit to whatever destination is chosen following the impending report of the Augustine committee. The results of this Decadal Survey, expected in October 2010, will prioritize that research.

As indicated yesterday, the NASA Flight Readiness Review has cleared the shuttle Discovery for launch next week in terms of satisfying concerns about foam loss, but one issue remains open before final clearance is given. According to NASA, the STS-128 launch will take place at 1:36 am EDT on August 25 once the final issue — analysis of an orbiter power controller that failed and had to be replaced — is closed. That decision will be taken at the August 23 mission management team meeting.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs may have had the Augustine committee on his mind — or not — when he made this remark today about health care reform, as reported by the Associated Press:

“We will get in a rocket and fly around the moon if that is what it takes to get everybody together and get an agreement,” Gibbs said.

(Editorial note: Well, everyone is trying to see how to make NASA relevant to national goals …. )

The clock is ticking down to the last days for the Augustine committee, which is tasked to develop options for the future of the human space flight program. Based on public reports, here is where things stand as of August 18, 2009.

• According to press reports, White House and NASA officials were briefed on the committee’s findings last Friday, August 14. In an interview with PBS’ Newshour that afternoon, Mr. Augustine said they had presented the White House with a dilemma — $4 billion per year more is needed to have any successful human space flight program.
• The committee indicated at its August 12 meeting that it is holding August 24 as a contingency date for another public meeting.
• The report officially is due to the White House and NASA on September 1.
• According to NASA’s Legislative Affairs website, the House Science and Technology Committee has scheduled a hearing for September 15 and the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing the next day.

(Read our editorial as to why 90 days is too short for any group, no matter how talented, to determine the future of the human space flight program.)

NASA extended its Flight Readiness Review (FRR) for Space Shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission for an extra day. A news conference expected to occur this afternoon will not take place until the FRR is finished tomorrow (Wednesday). NASA tweets on Twitter stated that the FRR will resume at 7:30 am EDT tomorrow, but that issues concerning foam loss have put to rest for this launch at least: “The tank discussion is over and everyone had the chance to offer a viewpoint. At this point, the FRR decided we’re ok to fly as is.” Via Twitter and NASA’s spaceflight website, the agency announced that the launch has slipped by one day. It is currently scheduled for Aug. 25 at 1:36 am EDT.