NASA's life and physical sciences portfolio has shrunk by two-thirds since 1996 as other programs took priority in a fight for funding, and the agency is "poorly positioned" to take advantage of the world-class research opportunities now available on the operational International Space Station, according to a National Research Council report.

File photo of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
 
The report released Tuesday echoes growing concerns over NASA's basic research budget, which has been scavenged to fund other programs over the last two decades.

"In the past decade, however, a consequence of those challenges has been a life and physical sciences research program that was dramatically reduced in both scale and scope, with the result that the agency is poorly positioned to take full advantage of the scientific opportunities offered by the now fully equipped and staffed ISS laboratory, or to effectively pursue the scientific research needed to support the development of advanced human exploration capabilities," scientists wrote in the report.

Scientists evaluated research fields that are both enabled by access to space and facilitate further exploration.

The panel found there is no clear institutional home for life and physical sciences at NASA, recommending the agency elevate the priority for such research and establish a division to manage biological and physcial science investigations.

Stable funding will also be necessary to pay for a worthwhile research effort, researchers said.

According to the decadal survey, NASA's budget for microgravity science dropped from about $500 million per year in 1996 to about $150 million in 2010.

Scientists still need to answer key questions on astronauts' physical and mental health on long-term space expeditions, develop new technologies for life support systems, and investigate regenerative power sources to extend human presence in space.

Discoveries in these fields and others will make possible deep space journeys to Mars, asteroids and a permanent base on the moon.

"A focused life and physical sciences program can make possible the achievements that bring the space community, policymakers, and the U.S. public to a realization that we are ready for the next significant phase of human space exploration," said Elizabeth Cantwell, co-chair of the decadal survey and director of mission development at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The NRC report is the first decadal survey on biological and physical sciences in space, a study to offer research suggestions to NASA for the next 10 years. The council regularly oversees decadal surveys on planetary science, astrophysics, Earth science and other disciplines applying to NASA.

One of the metrics the decadal survey used in its analysis was the benefit space research would have to solve problems on Earth.

"Research in the life and physical sciences can enable space missions and, as a unique benefit, there is critical research that can in turn be enabled on Earth by access to space," said Wendy Kohrt, professor at the University of Colorado in Denver and co-chair of the committee. "With the advantage of the space environment, we believe there is an opportunity to significantly advance fundamental scientific understanding."

NASA is seeking a non-profit organization to manage research on the space station, which has been designated a national laboratory. Officials plan to announce a winner in the competition around the end of May.