NASA research

Lore & Background

NASA's research includes medical studies in space, such as the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity Study, where astronauts perform ultrasound scans under remote expert guidance to diagnose conditions. This study has been applied to professional and Olympic sports injuries and to non-expert operators in medical and high school settings, with anticipated use in emergency and rural care on Earth. NASA also works on salt evaporation pond reclamation in South San Francisco Bay using satellite sensors, and has an Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Program to reduce pollution and resource use. In Earth science, NASA studies natural and human-induced environmental changes, including global warming, with over a dozen orbiting spacecraft. It cooperates with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to produce solar resource maps and participated in evaluating technologies for cleaning dense non-aqueous phase liquids. NASA was recognized as the first federal agency to use landfill gas for energy at its Goddard Space Flight Center. In 1975, NASA was directed to research the upper atmosphere, leading to ozone monitoring via the Nimbus 7 satellite and later the Earth Observing System satellites. NASA also researches and publishes on climate issues, concurring that the global climate is heating.

Reader's Guide

NASA's research spans from space medicine to Earth science, with practical applications on Earth. The Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity Study demonstrates how space-based techniques can improve medical care in remote and rural areas. NASA's Earth science program, including ozone monitoring and climate study, provides critical data on global environmental changes. Its work on salt evaporation ponds and pollution prevention shows a commitment to environmental stewardship. The agency's research is conducted across multiple field centers, leveraging specialized expertise and hardware. NASA's climate research has been noted in political contexts, with some advising the shutdown of such operations, and scientists have copied climate data out of fear of restricted access. Overall, NASA's research contributes to both space exploration and terrestrial benefits.

Did You Know?

• NASA's Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity Study allows astronauts to perform ultrasound scans guided by remote experts, as there is usually no physician on the International Space Station.
• NASA technology helps reclaim 15,100 acres of salt evaporation ponds in South San Francisco Bay using satellite sensors.
• NASA was the first federal agency to directly use landfill gas to produce energy, at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
• The first comprehensive worldwide measurements of ozone depletion were obtained in 1978 with the Nimbus 7 satellite.