{"id":97241,"date":"1999-05-10T09:46:16","date_gmt":"1999-05-10T13:46:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spacenews.com\/?p=97241"},"modified":"2023-01-23T15:09:41","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T20:09:41","slug":"nasa-weighs-need-for-all-female-shuttle-crew","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacenews.com\/nasa-weighs-need-for-all-female-shuttle-crew\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA weighs need for all-female shuttle crew"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 NASA is laying the scientific groundwork for a possible space shuttle mission with an all-female crew assigned to study women\u2019s health issues, including the effect of spaceflight on women.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the top medical officer at the U.S. space agency insists that assembling an all-female research crew is far from being a done deal.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe do not select research subjects before we select experiments,\u201d said Arnauld Nicogossian, NASAs chief medical officer and the associate administrator for life and microgravity sciences and applications. \u201cThat\u2019s like putting the cart before the horse.\u201d Nicogossian, who first proposed the idea of an all-female crew late last year to NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin, insists no decision will be made until his office decides that there are research opportunities and needs that just such a mission.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scientific research, he said, must come first. To that end, NASA researchers are evaluating whether there is any merit to studying gender-based health differences in space.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If more data is needed, Nicogossian said, NASA might fly all-female crews or simply fly its female astronauts more often.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicogossian said no more than four NASA scientists are currently investigating the merits of spaceflight research related to women. The day-to-day activities are being managed by Dave Williams, director of space and life sciences at John-son Space Center, Houston.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Williams\u2019 team is working with researchers from the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, a recently established consortium that includes researchers from seven U.S. medical schools.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still in the planning stage is a series of workshops on the topic to be held this year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Williams is expected to update Nicogossian on the team\u2019s progress in June. Nicogossian said he plans to report back to NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin with recommendations sometime next year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said he would not necessarily recommend flying all-female research crews.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy recommendation will not be the mission,\u201d he said. \u201cIt will be how to collect the data on gender health.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some critics have questioned the scientific need to fly an all-female crew.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow could an all-female crew further the study of gender difference any more than a mixed crew?\u201d one congressional staffer asked.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicogossian said there could be advantages to flying a research crew composed entirely of women. Like NASA\u2019s Neurolab investigations, which were conducted on the shuttle in April and May 1998, the shuttle could be outfitted with a lab specifically equipped for research of women\u2019s health issues. Such a dedicated lab would ensure that NASA would get a maximum return on the research being done, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicogossian said he first broached the subject of female research crews with Goldin late last year after a medical advisory committee recommended NASA take a closer look at gender differences.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A NASA-funded study conducted by the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council noted that little is known about \u201cwhether there are gender differences in the human response to spaceflight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs part of its program to include women on missions,\u201d the report continues, \u201cNASA should monitor the data to investigate whether there are significant gender differences in the human response to spaceflight.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1998 report, \u201cA Strategy for Research in Space Biology and Medicine in the New Century,\u201d recommends that, \u201cshould evi- dence of differences become apparent, a high priority must be given to investigating their significance.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Nicogossian\u2019s researchers are busy determining whether there is a scientific justification for an all-female shuttle research mission, most top NASA officials will not discuss the issue. Aside from Goldin himself, Nicogossian is the only NASA official authorized to discuss the controversial proposal, NASA spokesman Renee Juhans said. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Requests by Space News to interview female astronauts about the proposed mission were denied. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NASA officials at Johnson Space Center have been instructed to refer all questions about an all-female shuttle crew to headquarters here, said Doug Peterson, a Johnson spokesman. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goldin has made clear his enthusiasm for the idea on a number of occasions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a recent meeting with reporters, Goldin fended off criticism of the idea. \u201cNow the thing that amazed me is we were quietly and professionally understanding [the all-female mission concept] and we have all these kibitzers that don\u2019t know anything about the science poking their nose into this,\u201d he said. \u201cGo back, get a grip, take a deep breath and let\u2019s let the scientific process proceed.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goldin also alluded to the inspirational value of flying a female shuttle crew \u201cIn 1999, young girls are not encouraged to go into math and science,\u201d Goldin said. \u201cSomething is wrong and let\u2019s recognize that.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goldin said he wants to find out whether women are assigned to shuttle missions in proportion to their representation in the astronaut corps. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirty-two of NASA\u2019s 140 astronauts are women. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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