Evolution of Modern BioAstronautics

Origins: ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The simplest definition for the term "bioastronautics" refers generally to the study of the biological and medical aspects of human spaceflight, including the physical and psychological effects of space travel on living organisms. The origin of the term is difficult to pinpoint exactly, however, one of the earliest known uses of the term "bioastronautics" is from the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the field began to take shape as a scientific discipline. This research was driven largely by the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, which led to a rapid development of human spaceflight technologies. As both nations sought to send humans to space and eventually to the Moon, they recognized the importance of understanding the physiological and psychological challenges associated with space travel. This understanding would prove critical in ensuring the safety and well-being of astronauts during early missions. Thus, the term "bioastronautics" has emerged to describe this multidisciplinary field that combines biology, medicine, engineering, and now botany, agriculture, and ecology. Furthermore the field is now evolving in the post-genome era as a trans-disciplinary engineering hub for informatics and artificial intelligence.

Biological Approaches to Astronautics:

A modern approach must consider the unique challenges of microgravity and radiation health, while also focusing on engineering ecological technologies that promote sustainable life support systems for long-duration space missions. Bioastronautics encompass a unified interdisciplinary approach to build human centric habitation/work architectures for human productivity in a space exploration setting. It is key to recognize that now is when we should be transitioning from an emphasis on transportation to sustainability and human habitability if we are going to advance our ambitions for human civilization and space economy.

The challenge of BioAstronautics is to functionally integrate human medicine with agriculture, using ecological approaches. We have to do this while emphasizing human nutrition, health, and performance focused on crew capabilities and safety the entire time. We have to optimize and ensure crops systems performance, while minimizing risk of pathogens to the crops and humans in the system. The most critical but least understood aspects are the soil microbial and fungal decomposers, which interconnect the human and the crop soil microbiome.

Omics and BioAstronautics

IN 2014 NASA released the Genelab strategic plan, opening the genomics era for NASA space biology and medicine, and paving the way for the first human genomics-based research program. The emergence of genomic and other omics technologies (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) have completely changed how we do science, as we have literally transitioned to open science over the last 10 years NASA GeneLab has been open and functional as an open-data repository and analysis hub. GeneLab enables personalized medicine, precision agriculture, and microbial ecology to now be integrated as the ultimate biomonitoring systems for engineered bioregenerative ecohabitation.

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A. Precision Medicine:

?Precision medicine can be used to develop personalized health management strategies for astronauts, taking into account their individual genetic makeup and potential risks associated with space travel.

Integrated omics can be used to collect and analyze large amounts of data to develop effective precision medicine strategies.

B. Controlled Environment Agriculture:

Controlled environment agriculture can provide a sustainable source of fresh food for astronauts on long-duration space missions.

Advanced technologies such as hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics can be used to optimize crop growth and water usage in space.

Bioreactors and fungal production systems are needed to advance

C. Microbiome Ecology:

Engineering ecological technologies must also consider the role of the human and crop soil microorganisms in promoting a healthy and sustainable ecosystem in space.

Microbiome analysis can help us understand the interactions between the human and crop soil microorganisms and develop strategies to maintain a healthy balance in the ecological system.

Integrated omics and AI/ML can be used to monitor the ecological system in space and identify potential environmental risks, such as contamination from human waste or other pollutants.

This information can be used to develop effective environmental monitoring strategies and mitigation techniques to maintain a healthy and sustainable ecosystem.

Conclusion:

In summary, a modern approach to bioastronautics must prioritize the engineering of ecological technologies that can support sustainable life support systems for long-duration space missions. Precision medicine, controlled environment agriculture, and microbiome analysis can all play critical roles in this approach, along with effective environmental monitoring and waste management strategies. By using advanced technologies and integrated omics and AI/ML, we can ensure the health and well-being of astronauts while promoting a sustainable approach to space exploration.