Human Health and Performance
The Human Health and Performance (HH&P) Directorate is the primary organization focused on humans living, working and thriving in space, on the moon and on to Mars. Our mission is to lead the global spaceflight community in protecting astronaut health and ensuring human mission performance.
Our Organization
All HH&P functions are ultimately aimed at achieving our mission, “HH&P capabilities enable optimization of human health and performance throughout all phases of spaceflight.” Our activities enable mission success, optimizing human health and productivity in space before, during, and after the actual space flight experience of our flight crews, and include support for ground-based functions.
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Mission and Goals
Exploring Space | Enhancing Life
The Human Health and Performance Directorate (HH&P) is the primary organization focused on enhancing crew health and performance and mitigating the risks associated with human spaceflight. With three offices, three divisions and over 900 employees, all HH&P functions are ultimately aimed at achieving our mission: optimizing human health and performance throughout all phases of spaceflight
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Leadership Team
Michelle A. Frieling currently serves as the Director of the Human Health and Performance Directorate. Learn about the HH&P leadership team members.
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Education and Outreach
The Human Health and Performance Directorate and the Human Research Program offer a wide variety of educational opportunities ranging from short internships to in-depth research fellowships and NASA grants.
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Aerospace Medicine Clerkship
The application window for the April 2025 session is open. The next available session will convene Monday, March 31- Friday, April 25. Applications for the April 2025 session will close on Monday, December 2, 2024 at 1159 CT.
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Space Nutrition
Space Nutrition evolved from an “Adopt-a-Classroom” effort led by scientists in the Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. Our goal was to bring students closer to space research while learning about the importance of nutrition for astronauts (and for kids, too).
The second edition is available now
Human Health Capabilities
Space Food Systems
Crew Health and Safety
Cardiovascular and Vision
EVA and Environmental Physiology
Flight Surgeons
Private: Biomedical Engineering for Exploration Space Technology
Nutritional & Biochemistry
Immunology and Virology
Pharmacotherapeutics
Biomedical Flight Controllers
Behavioral Health
Medical and Clinical
Space Cell Biology
Neuroscience
Space Environment Capabilities
Human Performance and Human Systems Engineering Capabilities
Astronaut Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation
Anthropometry, Injury Biomechanics, & Ergonomics
Human Systems Engineering
Habitability Design
Bioanalytical Core Laboratory
Exercise Physiology and Countermeasures
Bone and Mineral Evaluation and Analysis
Biostatistics and Data Science
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