NASA as a Convener
Building Bridges for Human Space Exploration
How NASA's Human Health and Performance Center collaborates with government, academic, and industry partners to advance space health research
More Than Rockets and Astronauts
When we picture NASA, most of us envision roaring rockets, mission control rooms, and astronauts floating weightlessly in space. But behind these iconic images lies a less visible yet equally crucial dimension of NASA's work: its role as a master collaborator that brings together the brightest minds across government, academia, and industry. Through its Human Health and Performance (HH&P) Directorate, NASA serves as what experts call a "convener"—an organization that creates collaborative frameworks to solve problems too complex for any single institution to tackle alone 1 . This extensive partnership network addresses one of the most pressing challenges in space exploration: keeping humans healthy and productive on missions that stretch from Earth's orbit to the Martian surface.
900+ Employees
Dedicated professionals in the HH&P Directorate
Multi-Sector Collaboration
Government, academia, and industry partnerships
Space Exploration
Enabling missions from Earth orbit to Mars
The Why: Complex Challenges Demand Collective Genius
Space presents the human body with an environment fundamentally different from the one we evolved to inhabit. The challenges are far more varied and complex than many realize, requiring expertise spanning numerous scientific disciplines and technical specialties.
The Five Hazards of Human Spaceflight
NASA's Human Research Program has identified five fundamental hazards that astronauts encounter during space missions 4 :
Space Radiation
Beyond Earth's protective magnetic field, astronauts face exposure to galactic cosmic rays and solar particle events that can damage cells and DNA.
Isolation and Confinement
Extended periods in confined spaces with limited social interaction present psychological challenges that affect mood and performance.
Distance from Earth
As missions venture farther from Earth, real-time communication becomes impossible, requiring greater autonomy and new approaches to medical care.
Gravity Fields
Transition between Earth gravity, microgravity, and partial gravity (like on the Moon or Mars) affects virtually every bodily system.
Hostile/Closed Environments
Spacecraft environments introduce potential threats from changes in atmosphere, microorganisms, and limited resources for recycling air and water.
The Collaborative Research Web
NASA's HH&P doesn't merely contract out research; it builds genuine partnerships that leverage each participant's unique strengths. The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), for example, is a consortium funded by NASA but operated in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine, California Institute of Technology, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4 . This consortium actively seeks innovative approaches from researchers outside traditional aerospace medicine, bringing fresh perspectives to space health challenges.
The How: NASA's Partnership Framework
NASA employs multiple structured approaches to collaboration, each designed to facilitate specific types of partnerships and outcomes. These frameworks create clear pathways for external organizations to engage with NASA's mission while protecting everyone's interests.
Strategic Partnership Mechanisms
| Mechanism | Purpose | Key Features | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Act Agreements | Flexible partnerships for collaborative development | Can be reimbursable or non-reimbursable; tailored terms | Quarterly posted agreements with various partners 3 |
| Research Announcements | Competitive award of grants for specific research | Publicly advertised; peer-reviewed; focused on NASA needs | STMD Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity 3 |
| Contracts | Procurement of specific goods and services | Formal procurement rules; detailed requirements | Human Health and Performance Contract 2 (HHPC2) 2 |
| Prize Competitions | Crowdsourced solutions to technical challenges | Open participation; payment for demonstrated solutions | Centennial Challenges 3 |
International Collaboration Model
NASA's partnership with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the NISAR Earth-observing mission illustrates how international collaboration expands scientific capabilities for all participants 8 . This joint mission combines NASA's L-band radar system with ISRO's S-band radar and spacecraft bus, creating a more capable satellite than either agency could have developed independently 8 . The mission, scheduled to launch in 2024, will study ecosystem changes, ice sheet dynamics, and natural hazards, benefiting both nations and the global scientific community.
Inside the Collaboration: The BRAINS Experiment
To understand how these partnerships work in practice, let's examine a specific experiment that embodies NASA's collaborative approach. The Brazing of Aluminum Alloys In Space (BRAINS) study, conducted aboard the International Space Station, demonstrates how government, academic, and industry partners each contribute to shared research goals 9 .
The Scientific Question
Brazing—a process that joins materials using a filler metal heated above 450°C—offers potential solutions for constructing and repairing spacecraft, habitats, and other systems during long-duration missions. However, we don't fully understand how microgravity affects the liquid metals and bonding processes involved in brazing. The BRAINS experiment sought to answer this question, with implications for both space exploration and manufacturing on Earth 9 .
Collaborative Methodology
The BRAINS experiment brought together multiple partners, each playing a distinct role:
NASA Researchers
Designed experimental protocols and integrated into ISS operationsAcademic Scientists
Contributed expertise in metallurgy and liquid metal behaviorIndustry Partners
Provided specialized brazing materials and applications knowledgeAstronauts
Executed experiment procedures aboard the International Space StationExperimental Process
Step 1: Sample Preparation
Preparation of aluminum alloy samples with various surface treatments and filler materials
Step 2: Heating Process
Heating of samples to precise temperatures in the space station's microgravity environment
Step 3: Documentation
Documentation of the liquid metal flow and solidification processes using station imaging equipment
Step 4: Cooling and Stabilization
Controlled cooling and stabilization of the joined materials
Step 5: Earth Analysis
Return of samples to Earth for detailed analysis comparing space-brazed and Earth-brazed materials
Results and Implications
Preliminary results from the BRAINS experiment have revealed fascinating differences in how liquid metals wet and spread over surfaces in microgravity versus on Earth. Without gravity-driven convection, surface tension plays a more dominant role in determining how the filler material distributes itself between the pieces being joined 9 .
| Characteristic | Earth Conditions | Microgravity Conditions | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filler Distribution | Gravity affects flow direction | More uniform distribution possible | More consistent joint strength |
| Microstructure Formation | Convection influences crystal growth | Diffusion-dominated transport | Potential for novel material properties |
| Defect Formation | Gravity can cause sagging or pooling | Reduced sedimentation effects | Fewer flaws in finished joints |
| Process Control | Must account for gravity effects | Surface tension dominates | Different parameter optimization |
The BRAINS experiment exemplifies how NASA's collaborative model creates value for all participants. NASA gains knowledge critical for future missions, academic researchers access a unique experimental environment, and industry partners develop improved processes and products with Earth-based applications.
The Scientist's Toolkit: Essential Research Solutions
The diverse research conducted through NASA's collaborative networks relies on specialized materials, reagents, and technologies. These tools enable scientists to study everything from cellular responses to radiation to group dynamics in isolated environments.
| Research Solution | Function | Application Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc Selenide (ZnSe) Crystals | Semiconductor for optical devices | Improved lasers and sensors for space instrumentation 9 |
| Advanced Metal Alloys | Custom material properties | Lightweight spacecraft structures; radiation shielding 9 |
| Colloidal Suspensions | Model "soft matter" systems | 3D printing technologies; drug delivery systems 9 |
| Spacecraft Environmental Standards | Air/water quality benchmarks | Maintaining healthy cabin environments; contamination control 5 |
| Biomedical Assays | Health monitoring | In-flight assessment of crew health; physiological adaptation tracking 4 |
These research tools evolve through the collaborative process, with academic partners often developing novel assays or materials, industry partners scaling production and refining applications, and NASA researchers testing and validating them for spaceflight use. This virtuous cycle of development, testing, and refinement accelerates innovation while spreading costs and benefits across multiple stakeholders.
Beyond Space: The Earthly Benefits
While NASA's primary mission focuses on space exploration and discovery, the collaborative research conducted through the HH&P Directorate often produces significant benefits for life on Earth. This "dual-use" aspect creates additional value for partnership participants and society at large.
Foams & Bubbly Liquids
Research in microgravity provides insights relevant to water recycling systems for Mars missions, with applications in consumer products from food to pharmaceuticals 9 .
ZnSe Semiconductor Crystals
Space research on these crystals could lead to more efficient lasers and optical devices with applications in medical imaging, manufacturing, and communications 9 .
Team Performance Research
Studies on behavioral health in isolated environments generate insights applicable to Antarctic stations, submarine crews, and remote industrial operations.
Space Research Spinoffs: Earth Applications
Conclusion: Together Further
As NASA sets its sights on returning humans to the Moon and eventually sending them to Mars, the collaborative model embodied by the Human Health and Performance Directorate will become increasingly vital. The challenges of these ambitious missions—protecting crews from deep-space radiation, ensuring medical capability when Earth is months away, maintaining psychological health in extreme isolation—exceed the capacity of any single organization or discipline.
By serving as a convener that strategically bridges government, academic, and industry partners, NASA creates a collaborative ecosystem that accelerates progress while distributing costs and risks. This approach multiplies the return on investment for all participants—including taxpayers—by avoiding duplication of effort, encouraging knowledge sharing, and creating innovation networks that extend far beyond the space program itself.
The future of human space exploration won't be built by NASA alone, but by a global network of partners united by shared curiosity, common purpose, and the recognition that some challenges are too important—and too fascinating—to tackle alone. As these collaborations continue to evolve and expand, they'll carry forward a timeless truth: when we reach for the stars, we do so most effectively when we reach together.