As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration powers up its plans to send human explorers to an asteroid and, at some point thereafter, Mars, a panel of prominent scientists has drawn up guidelines for NASA to follow as it heads into deep space.

After a study on the effects of long-duration space travel, which was sponsored by NASA, the National Academy of Sciences group announced that, right now, any deep space mission would be too dangerous, based on the space agency's own minimum safety requirements.

As well, they said, engineering capabilities and understanding of the effects of long-term cosmic radiation exposure will not advance enough within the next five years to change that assessment.

The scientists further said, according to a NAS news release, that NASA should not send humans on trips outside low Earth orbit lasting longer than 30 days without following existing health standards -- and that practice should only be broken in rare circumstances.

"From its inception, space exploration has pushed the boundaries and risked the lives and health of astronauts," said committee chair Jeffrey Kahn, a professor of bioethics and public policy at Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Baltimore. "Determining where those boundaries lie and when to push the limits is complex. NASA will continue to face decisions as technologies improve and longer and farther spaceflights become feasible. Our report builds upon NASA's work and compiles the ethics principles and decision-making framework that should be an integral part of discussions and decisions regarding health standards for long duration and exploration spaceflight."

The committee provided a framework for NASA to follow as it makes decisions about exploration goals and long-duration spaceflights unlikely to meet current health guidelines. The key principle are:

  • "Avoid harm by preventing harm, exercising caution, and removing or mitigating harms that occur;
  • "Provide benefits to society;
  • "Seek a favorable and acceptable balance of risk of harm and potential for benefit;
  • "Respect autonomy by allowing individual astronauts to make voluntary decisions regarding participation in proposed missions;
  • "Ensure fair processes and provide equality of opportunity for mission participation and crew selection; and
  • "Recognize fidelity and the individual sacrifices made for the benefit of society, as well as honor societal obligations in return by offering health care and protection for astronauts during a mission and over the course of their lifetimes."

The scientific panel also told NASA to honor the following set of ethical responsibilities, including:

  • "Ensure fully informed decision making by astronauts regarding the risks of long duration and exploration spaceflights;
  • "Solicit independent advice regarding health standards for these missions;
  • "Adhere to a continuous learning strategy so health standards evolve and improve over time;
  • "Communicate with all relevant stakeholders in a procedurally transparent, fair, and timely manner the rationale for, and possible impacts related to, any decision about health standards;
  • "Provide equality of opportunity for participation in long duration and exploration missions;
  • "Require preventive long-term health screening and surveillance of astronauts and lifetime health care; and
  • "Develop and apply policies that protect the privacy and confidentiality of astronaut health data."