Bobby Satcher '86, PhD '93
Orthopedic Surgeon Enters NASA's Astronaut Training Program
NASA has a new vision for space exploration in the 21st century, one that will allow extended travel far beyond present day levels. To do so, however, mankind must not only make some significant technological advances, but physiological advances as well. That's because the loss of bone mass is a serious issue for astronauts the longer they travel. In other words, a backbone may not be vital in the microgravity of space, but it sure comes in handy on the return trip home.
Which may be one reason NASA recently selected MIT alum and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert L. "Bobby" Satcher '86, PhD '93 into its astronaut training program. Satcher works at the forefront of orthopedic oncology, and his new job offers the prospect of advanced research from a somewhat broader perspective...some travel required.
Satcher joins NASA at a time when biotechnology will be critical for the type of long-duration space travel that NASA envisions. The 38-year-old Virginia native is one of 11 candidates chosen from a field of more than 4,000 applicants to form the 2004 astronaut class, the first new class formed since the Columbia space shuttle accident. Since June, he has been undergoing basic training, paying his dues, he says, "to learn all the skills you will need to be an astronaut and be assigned a mission." In addition to classrooms and simulators, candidates receive T-38 flight training and first-hand experience in microgravity in 30-second bursts on the KC-135 "Vomit Comet." There's also extensive physical and psychological training, including water and wilderness survival. And the class must also learn Russian.
Satcher's orthopedic research background is a good fit with NASA's high-priority research on microgravity and the musculoskeletal system. And he is definitely qualified for the work. After receiving his PhD in Chemical Engineering from MIT, Satcher attended medical school at Harvard and completed his residency in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco as well as a fellowship in Orthopedic Oncology at the University of Florida. He has received numerous awards and research grants in orthopedic oncology and was most recently an Assistant Professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University as well as an Attending Physician in Orthopedic Surgery at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Satcher says he loves the human side of practicing medicine, but also has had a long-standing interest in space. "I watched the Apollo launches as a kid and my interest grew in college with the Space Shuttle program." He was inspired by Ron McNair, an MIT alumnus and African-American astronaut later killed in the Challenger explosion.
Most of Satcher's orthopedic research thus far has explored the question of how cancer spreads to the skeleton and possible bone substitutes to repair damaged bone.
Bone is living tissue that has both an organic and inorganic component. Organic collagen and calcium-rich mineral deposits are interwoven to form strong, yet flexible skeletons. In a healthy person, old bone is broken down and removed at the same rate new bone is formed. But after just a few days in space, astronauts show a much higher rate of calcium in the bloodstream reflecting a marked decrease in bone density known as "disuse osteoporosis." Extended space flights aboard the Russian Mir have resulted in bone mass loss of up to 20%, according to NASA. Astronauts regain most of their bone mass after several months on earth, but not all of it, leading to possible health issues later in life.
The current approach to slow "disuse osteoporosis" is simply resistance exercise provided by on-board exercise machines, Satcher says. "Exercise cuts down on the rate of bone loss, but there is still loss. When astronauts come back their bone mass usually is two standard deviations below the norm, but that's a vast improvement over what it used to be." What causes calcium loss in space is still unknown. But as microgravity research on board the ISS progresses, answers will come-and the implications could be huge back on earth.
Satcher says he was fortunate to be surrounded by positive role models who stressed education, particularly in math and science. His uncle, David Satcher, was the U.S. Surgeon General during the Clinton administration. "My uncle has impacted the nation as a whole and a lot of people on a personal level," he says. "It is tremendous having somebody like that available to you to ask questions of."
Just as Ron McNair PhD '77 piqued his interest in space, Satcher says he hopes to interest "and maybe even inspire" young African Americans to become astronauts. "If not that, I would hope to at least encourage an interest in math and science."
For now, Satcher is excited to be a part of NASA's future goals, which include completing the ISS, returning to the moon, and going to Mars and beyond.
"The goals are very realistic," Satcher says. "The space station is about one-half complete so that is within the purview of what we can do. We went to the moon 35 years ago, so we know that can be done. Both rovers on Mars have been functioning for almost a year now. Sending people there is a big step, but it is certainly something that is technically possible to do."
The main question, says Satcher, is whether the commitment of the nation is there? "I feel, and most of the people at NASA feel, that it is."
The spirit of exploration ultimately accomplishes more than what it sets out to do, Satcher says. "It forces the process of asking questions and discovering things that we might not do otherwise."
By David Enders
