Construction of the international space station, schedule to start in the late 1998, ushers in a new era for laboratory sciences in space. This is especially true for space life sciences, which inlude not only the use of low gravity as an experimental parameter to study fundamental biological processes but also the study of the serious physiological changes that occur in astronauts as they remain in space for increasingly longer missionsThis book addresses both of these aspects, and provides a comprehensive review of ground-based and space research in eleven disciplines, ranging from bone physiology to plant biology. It also offers detailed, prioritized recommendations for research during the next decade, which are expected to have a considerable impact on the direction of NASA's research program. The volume is also valuable reference tool for space and life scientist.