SpaceX invites research proposals for Dragon human spaceflight missions

SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk-run SpaceX has quietly invited proposals for exceptional science and research ideas that will enable life in space and on other planets, to be executed on orbit using its Dragon spacecraft capsule.

Research proposals submitted to SpaceX will be reviewed and evaluated based on mission objectives, scientific and technical merit, and feasibility.

“Research proposals for Dragon human spaceflight missions will be accepted through March 15, 2024, and may be included in missions as early as late 2024,” said SpaceX.

The company has discussed using Dragon as an orbital lab, similar to the International Space Station (ISS), going back a decade. NASA has spent years studying the effects of microgravity on the human body.

The SpaceX proposals should focus on innovative solutions to increase efficiency and effectiveness, specifically focused on time efficiencies, resources required, equipment and protocols, and efficacy assessments.

They should also focus on tools that enhance health and well-being during long-duration missions, specifically focused on medical capabilities, virtual or augmented reality as a multipurpose tool, inflight health, and just-in-time training, according to SpaceX.

“As the world's leading launch service provider, SpaceX enables researchers the opportunity to frequently fly critical science to orbit on the Dragon spacecraft, which has carried over 1,000 research experiments to and from low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station since 2012,” said the company.