Draper’s Kevin Duda Joins National Academies’ Human and Biological Sciences Panel Supporting the Committee Prioritizing Key Non-Polar Destinations Across the Moon with Human Explorers
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Kevin R. Duda, Ph.D., senior program manager and distinguished member of the technical staff in the Space Systems Program Office at Draper, is a member of the Panel on Human and Biological Science that is part of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine committee addressing “Key Non-Polar Destinations across the Moon to Address Decadal-level Science Objectives with Human Explorers.”
The Panel on Human and Biological Science will gather information and identify and articulate the science objectives related to biology and human health and physiology in space that would be most enabled by human explorers on the moon.
The objectives of the Panel, which will be chaired by Ronald E. Turner, are to:
- Identify key science objectives within biology and human health and physiology in space that can or must be done by human explorers on the lunar surface.
- Specify the key measurements, either in situ or via returned samples, needed to achieve these key science objectives and why human explorers would enable those measurements.
- Detail any pre-placed assets (e.g., tools, mobility devices, robotic hardware, and equipment delivered to the lunar surface prior to human landing) that would be either necessary or enabling of these key measurements.
- Prioritize potential non-polar landing sites or characteristics of landing sites that would be most enabling of these key science objectives and measurements
The Steering Committee is tasked with defining a strategy and a prioritized list of high-value human sortie destinations for lunar exploration across the Moon (except for the poles), along with any time-ordering constraints. The culminating report will describe the recommended strategy, identify the targeted geographic locations on the Moon, and name the associated key science objectives to be addressed.
“I’m honored to have been nominated and truly excited about serving on this Panel,” said Duda. “The work we’re tasked with on the Panel and by the Steering Committee will produce a roadmap with clear scientific objectives and destinations for further human exploration of the moon. It’s about determining a prioritized list of lunar landing sites to answer NASA’s highest priority science questions – using humans – from the most recent Decadal Surveys.”
Other members of the Panel on Human and Biological Science are Susan Bailey, Colorado State University; Elizabeth Blaber, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI); Karl Hasenstein University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Kris Lehnhardt, UTHealth Houston; Rafael Loureiro, Winston-Salem State University; and Liz Warren, The Aerospace Corporation.
About Draper
Draper is a non-profit research, development, and production company that solves some of the nation’s most important challenges. With more than 2,000 employees working in collaboration across 12 locations, Draper delivers transformative, mission-driven solutions that successfully meet our customers’ requirements. These efforts focus on four critical mission areas: Strategic Systems, Space Systems, Electronic Systems, and Biotechnology Systems. To extend our legacy into the future, the Draper Scholars program engages with the next generation of innovators while DraperSPARX™ seeks to partner with startups and small businesses that can further our mission. To learn more about Draper, visit www.draper.com.
Released May 21, 2025
