WASHINGTON -- NASA's Human Research Program and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, or NSBRI, of Houston will fund a group of research proposals to help investigate questions about astronaut health and performance on future space exploration missions. The 33 selected proposals represent 21 institutions in 12 states.

The goal of the Human Research Program is to provide knowledge and technologies to improve human health during space exploration as well as possible countermeasures for problems. Goals include the successful completion of exploration missions and preservation of astronauts' health throughout their lives. The program quantifies crew health and performance risks during spaceflight and develops strategies that mission planners and system developers can use to monitor and mitigate health risks.

The 33 projects were selected from 126 proposals that were reviewed by scientific and technical experts from academia and government laboratories. Ten of the projects will join the Human Research Program's team of principal investigators, while 23 will join NSBRI's team-based research program.

NSBRI is a NASA-funded consortium of institutions studying health risks related to long-duration spaceflight. The institute's science, technology and education projects take place at more than 60 institutions across the United States.

A complete list of the selected principal investigators, organizations and proposals is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esmd/acd/hrp_nsbri_awards.html

For information about NSBRI's science, technology and education programs, visit:

http://www.nsbri.org

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov