Human Performance Engineering for Spaceflight Missions

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The Bioastronautics and eXploration Systems (BXS) Laboratory in the UC Davis Center for Space Exploration Research develops integrated approaches to human spaceflight risk and performance.

We operate at the interface of physiology, engineering, and computation, with an emphasis on predictive modeling and operational decision support. We treat the human body as a system to be quantified, modeled, and engineered.

PI Richard Whittle conducting research aboard an ESA parabolic flight, experiencing microgravity conditions.
Experimental validation in microgravity and analog environments underpins our modeling and systems development.

Research Areas

  • Decompression sickness risk modeling: for EVA operations
  • AI-enabled decision support: for extravehicular activity
  • Wearable bioinstrumentation: for in-flight physiological monitoring
  • Radiation transport and shielding: for long-duration missions
  • Cardiopulmonary systems modeling: for mission-relevant physiology

These efforts are integrated into a broader framework spanning human performance, vehicle systems, and mission design.

We maintain active collaborations with international partners across space agencies, academia, and industry, including work in life support systems and physiological modeling.

Recruitment

We recruit graduate students and postdoctoral researchers interested in high-impact problems in human spaceflight.

  • Work at the intersection of physiology, systems engineering, and AI
  • Contribute to mission-relevant research with external partners
  • Develop tools and models used in operational contexts