KBR Scientists Support Long-Term NASA Study on Health Effects of Spaceflight; Byron Bright Quoted

KBR researchers have helped NASA conduct its recently published study on a pair of twins to assess the effects of prolonged spaceflight.

The company’s Marisa Covington and Stuart Lee, along with researchers from 10 different teams, measured and evaluated the physiology, cognitive functions and genetic expressions of former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly on Earth and astronaut Scott Kelly who spent 340 days onboard the International Space Station, KBR said Thursday.

“This is just one example of how KBR is working with NASA to pioneer the future of deep space exploration. We’re committed to providing our full support to achieving humans returning to the moon by 2024,” said Byron Bright, president of KBR’s U.S. government business.

Covington, who serves as program integration and strategic planning manager at KBR, was the research effort’s coordinator responsible for managing data integration activities to help produce results that may assist in future studies and personalized medicine manufacturing.

Lee, KBR’s lead research scientist for the NASA Johnson Space Center’s Cardiovascular and Vision Laboratory, served as principal investigator for the study’s metabolomics subject area. He led efforts to assess the twins’ cardiovascular functions to evaluate the arterial impacts of long-term space exposure as part of the initiative.

The results of the study indicated changes in Scott’s carotid artery wall, retina and body proteins.

NASA intends to utilize the study’s results to prepare for the planned 2024 moon landing and potentially support human sustainability on the moon by 2028.