Evolution of Space Medicine at NASA.

Abstract

Introduction: From the very beginning of America's human spaceflight program, space medicine has been at the forefront. There has been a variety of diverse individuals, over six decades, whose contributions helped shape what space medicine is within NASA today.

Methods: An extensive review of historical documents (including reports, manuscripts, advisory committee reports, and oral histories of key individuals) related to space medicine, aerospace medicine, and life sciences at NASA Headquarters was performed.

Results: Early in NASA's history, oral histories from individuals in key leadership positions were obtained. In addition, repeated searches of the archives provided a plethora of material on space medicine and life sciences from the first two decades or so, but it is somewhat sparse over the most recent four decades. Each of these sources helped develop a historical narrative of those key individuals who were in senior leadership positions at NASA Headquarters beginning in 1958 through the present time.

Discussion: A review of the archived material tells a compelling story of how and why space medicine developed in the way it did at the agency level. The inspiration and the individual personalities, concomitant with the early influence from the U.S. Air Force, laid the groundwork for this discipline as it relates to human spaceflight. Doarn CR. Evolution of space medicine at NASA. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2024; 95(10):797-805.