**Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 22:23:17 -0700
Subject: 1997 Ames Astrobiology Academy Announcement **
The Ames Astrobiology Academy is proud to announce that we have finally decided on a group project. We will be studying dreaming in space and possibly examining its relation to the kind of sleep an astronaut gets at night. It will be a stand alone project. There is no backup project to resort to in the event that this one fails. We decided on it because of its simplicity and our ability to complete it in six weeks. We also felt that this project would have the greatest chance for success and that there was the possibility of a little national publicity on this one. It also fit well within our $12,000 budget. All of the RAs are extremely interested in this project. Other projects considered include: a blood clotting experiment, liquid mixing experiment, and an experiment to see if seaweed grows differently in space.
This project, at the very least, will involve asking the astronauts flying the neuro lab mission on the shuttle in April '98 to answer a short questionaire about their dreams. Neuro Lab is a mission that will be studying how astronauts sleep by use of equipment such as sleepnets, eegs and eogs. While this data is being collected for the primary study and we'll have nothing to do with the data collection, we have been granted permission and access to use the data collected from it. We have also talked to the commanding astronaut of the mission and the astronauts have agreed to fill out our questionaire each day. We are also considering using the questionaire on other flights.
The main objective with this project is to get the questionaire made and analyze the results of that. We are currently trying to figure out what shape this questionaire will take on (ie length, computer or paper, etc.). We are also solicitating advice on what questions we should ask.
During this next week, we are also going to be looking into what hasn't been done yet in this area and what is going to be done on the neuro lab mission by the primary study. We are real interested in finding out the kinds of studies, both on the ground and in space, that have been done thus far. This information will help us determine if and how we want to expand our project.
We will gladly take suggestions on any aspect of the project, especially questions that we should ask on the questionairre. We are going to contact our universities to see if they have suggestions for this experiment. If anybody out there, especially at the University of Montana, knows anybody that has expertise in the sleep field, I would love if you could respond with their names. Most likely, the experts will be in the pych department. Laurie, if you know anybody, that would be great too. Feel free to e-mail me your own suggestions even if you are not an expert. You never know. Your suggestions might be worth while!! I was also wondering if anyone at Benefis knows much about sleep studies and dreaming. Think ya can help me out Mom?
This project is going to involve an extensive amount of research, which we do not have time for. Our best chance at success is if we contact other people and learn what they know about the project. We already have many NASA contacts, but we could use some more contacts. Thanks for supporting us on this project.
One other thing, Some of the astronauts will be taking melatonin while others will not be. There will be three who will be taking their first ride up into space while others will have been there before. I don't know how this will affect our project.
Sorry about the minimal information on this project. I know that it is tough to help with so few of the specifics. We are currently trying to narrow the focus and define what this project is going to do. I will send more information as it becomes available.
Don Olinger
Research Associate
1997 NASA Ames Astrobiology Academy
p.s. Feel free to forward this and any other message you get from me.