It can be predicted as confidently for space biology as for other space
sciences that the economic costs will be amply repaid in the long run by
applications of space-oriented biotechnology to other fields of biology
and medicine. There are inevitable substantial, though indirect,
contributions of NASA’s continuing efforts in space biology.
NASA-supported biological research has many practical applications and
"spinoffs" which contribute to the fields of health and medicine, food
and agriculture, and industry and manufacturing. Some of these are
presented to show the range and value of applications which have
resulted from basic and applied biological research. In addition to
those listed are many others from the biosatellite program, particularly
in the fields of bioengineering and miniaturization.