Research on astronaut health and model organisms have revealed six features of spaceflight biology that guide our current understanding of fundamental molecular changes that occur during space ...travel. The features include oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysregulation, epigenetic changes (including gene regulation), telomere length alterations, and microbiome shifts. Here we review the known hazards of human spaceflight, how spaceflight affects living systems through these six fundamental features, and the associated health risks of space exploration. We also discuss the essential issues related to the health and safety of astronauts involved in future missions, especially planned long-duration and Martian missions.
An international group of spaceflight researchers detail how spaceflight affects human biology from the molecular to physiological level and identify key challenges for making space exploration compatible with human health.
Throughout the history of the International Space Station (ISS), crews on board have conducted a variety of scientific research and educational activities. Well into the second year of full ...utilization of the ISS laboratory, the trend of scientific accomplishments and educational opportunities continues to grow. More than 1500 investigations have been conducted on the ISS since the first module launched in 1998, with over 700 scientific publications. The ISS provides a unique environment for research, international collaboration and educational activities that benefit humankind. This paper will provide an up to date summary of key investigations, facilities, publications, and benefits from ISS research that have developed over the past year. Discoveries in human physiology and nutrition have enabled astronauts to return from ISS with little bone loss, even as scientists seek to better understand the new puzzle of “ocular syndrome” affecting the vision of up to half of astronauts. The geneLAB campaign will unify life sciences investigations to seek genomic, proteomic and metabolomics of the effect of microgravity on life as a whole. Combustion scientists identified a new “cold flame” phenomenon that has the potential to improve models of efficient combustion back on Earth. A significant number of instruments in Earth remote sensing and astrophysics are providing new access to data or nearing completion for launch, making ISS a significant platform for understanding of the Earth system and the universe.
In addition to multidisciplinary research, the ISS partnership conducts a myriad of student led research investigations and educational activities aimed at increasing student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Over the past year, the ISS partnership compiled new statistics of the educational impact of the ISS on students around the world. More than 43 million students, from kindergarten to graduate school, with more than 28 million teachers located in 49 countries have participated in some aspect of ISS educational activities. These activities include student-developed investigations, education competitions and classroom versions of ISS investigations, participating in ISS investigator experiments, ISS hardware development, educational demonstrations and cultural activities. Through the many inquiry-based educational activities, students and teachers are encouraged to participate in the ISS program thus motivating the next generation of students to pursue careers in STEM.
•Over 1500 ISS investigations generated more than 700 scientific publications.•Discoveries in physiology and nutrition have shown a reduction in bone loss.•A new “cold flame” may improve models of efficient combustion on the Earth.•Student investigations and educational activities are conducted on the ISS.•ISS educational activities included over 43 million students from 49 countries.
November 20, 2010, marked a significant milestone in the annals of human endeavors in space since it was the twelfth anniversary of one of the most challenging and complex construction projects ever ...attempted by humans away from our planet: The construction of the International Space Stations. On November 20, 1998, the Zarya Control Module was launched. With this simple, almost unnoticed launch in the science community, the construction of a continuously staffed research platform, in Low Earth Orbit, was underway. This paper discusses the research that was performed by many occupants of this research platform during the year celebrating its twelfth anniversary. The main objectives of this paper are fourfold: (1) to discuss the integrated manner in which science planning/replanning and prioritization during the execution phase of an increment is carried out across the United States Orbital Segment since that segment is made of four independent space agencies; (2) to discuss and summarize the research that was performed during increments 16 and 17 (October 2007 to October 2008). The discussion for these two increments is primarily focused on the main objectives of each investigation and its associated hypotheses that were investigated. Whenever available and approved, preliminary research results are also discussed for each of the investigations performed during these two increments; (3) to compare the planned research portfolio for these two increments versus what was actually accomplished during the execution phase in order to discuss the challenges associated with planning and performing research in a space laboratory located over 240 miles up in space, away from the ground support team; (4) to briefly touch on the research portfolio of increments 18 and 19/20 as the International Space Station begins its next decade in Low Earth Orbit.
Le présent manuscrit contribue à l’étude des écoulements liquides dans des milieux poreux artificiels, plus spécifiquement dans les cas où la matrice poreuse présente des gradients de perméabilité ...importants, par exemple dans un milieu stratifié ou fracturé. Nous étudions l’influence de tels milieux poreux hétérogènes sur différents types d’écoulements. Ce travail est principalement expérimental, mettant en oeuvre une technique optique non-intrusive appelée effet Christiansen. Cette méthode permet de déterminer quantitativement des distributions soit de température, soit de concentration au sein d’un milieu poreux. Trois problèmes physiques sont étudiés: tout d’abord le problème de Horton-Rodgers-Lapwood qui est l’équivalent du très connu problème de Rayleigh-Bénard mais pour un milieu poreux, ensuite les phénomènes de dispersion hydrodynamique que l’on rencontre dans des écoulements multiphasiques. Cette dispersion hydrodynamique est essentiellement envisagée comme un processus macroscopique de diffusion, renforcé par rapport à la diffusion moléculaire que l’on rencontre en milieu fluide libre. Enfin, le troisième problème englobe les écoulements capillaires en milieux poreux en environnement de pesanteur réduite. Dans le cas d’écoulements immiscibles multiphasiques, il faut prendre en considération l’effet de la tension superficielle aux interfaces. Comme les effets capillaires sont partiellement masqués par les effets de pesanteur durant des expériences au sol, une étude précise des effets de mouillage dans ces écoulements en milieu poreux nécessite de les découpler au maximum des autres effets physiques. Un programme de recherche en microgravité a été réalisé, et un nouveau modèle mathématique qui prend en compte l’influence des forces capillaires a été élaboré dans le cadre d’une collaboration entre le Service de Chimie-Physique et le Prof. N.N. Smirnov du Département de Mécanique et de Mathématique de l’Université d’Etat de Moscou.La structure de ce travail part du Chapitre 1, qui présente essentiellement les milieux poreux et leurs spécificités. Ce dernier introduit le formalisme et les concepts nécessaires au traitement des trois problèmes de recherche envisagés. Le Chapitre 2 présente ensuite une étude bibliographique du problème de Horton-Rodgers-Lapwood et des phénomènes de dispersion hydrodynamique en milieux poreux. Le Chapitre 3 est consacré à l’effet Christiansen. Le Chapitre 4 présente les dispositifs de laboratoire mis au point, ainsi qu’une compilation des résultats expérimentaux obtenus. Les problèmes d’écoulements capillaires sont exposés au Chapitre 5, étant donné que la technique expérimentale est différente de celle basée sur l’effet Christiansen. Ce Chapitre compare le nouveau modèle mathématique aux résultats des expériences menées en microgravité durant de nombreuses campagnes de vols paraboliques. Le Chapitre 6 referme ce travail par ses conclusions et perspectives.
Doctorat en sciences appliquées
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished
From the autumn of 2001 till spring of 2005 a series of six flights to the International Space Station, ISS, were conducted using the Russian Soyuz manned launcher. These flights initially known as ...'taxi-missions', were characterized by the participation and co-funding from both the European Space Agency, ESA, and the five national delegations from France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands. The national participation was reflected both in the flight of a cosmonaut/astronaut, originating from the country co-sponsoring the flight as well as in the origin of the majority of experiments and other activities carried out during these missions. In these six Soyuz missions: Andromède (October 2001), Marco Polo (April 2002), Odissea (October 2002), Cervantes (October 2003), DELTA (April 2004) and Eneide (April 2005), some more than one hundred experiments were carried out. These experiments covered the areas of basic and applied research and technology in biology, human physiology, fluid and plasma physics, material science and Earth observation. Also a significant number of education activities were part of these missions. This paper gives a complete overview of these missions, of all science, education and related activities performed. The perspectives of these activities in the light of the space exploration programs in the XXI century and some of the uncertainties and paradoxes are discussed.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
The crystallisation by counterdiffusion is a very efficient technique for obtaining high-quality protein crystals. A prerequisite for the use of counterdiffusion techniques is that mass transport ...must be controlled by diffusion alone. Sedimentation and convection can be avoided by either working in gelled systems, working in systems of small dimensions, or in the absence of gravity. We present the results from experiments performed on the ISS using the Protein Microscope for the International Space Station (PromISS), using digital holography to visualise crystal growth processes. We extensively characterised three model proteins for these experiments (cablys3*lysozyme, triose phosphate isomerase, and parvalbumin) and used these to assess the ISS as an environment for crystallisation by counterdiffusion. The possibility to visualise growth and movement of crystals in different types of experiments (capillary counterdiffusion and batch-type) is important, as movement of crystals is clearly not negligible.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
Le présent manuscrit contribue à l'étude des écoulements liquides dans des milieux poreux artificiels, plus spécifiquement dans les cas où la matrice poreuse présente des gradients de perméabilité ...importants, par exemple dans un milieu stratifié ou fracturé. Nous étudions l'influence de tels milieux poreux hétérogènes sur différents types d'écoulements. Ce travail est principalement expérimental, mettant en oeuvre une technique optique non-intrusive appelée effet Christiansen. Cette méthode permet de déterminer quantitativement des distributions soit de température, soit de concentration au sein d'un milieu poreux.
Trois problèmes physiques sont étudiés: tout d'abord le problème de Horton-Rodgers-Lapwood qui est l'équivalent du très connu problème de Rayleigh-Bénard mais pour un milieu poreux, ensuite les phénomènes de dispersion hydrodynamique que l'on rencontre dans des écoulements multiphasiques. Cette dispersion hydrodynamique est essentiellement envisagée comme un processus macroscopique de diffusion, renforcé par rapport à la diffusion moléculaire que l'on rencontre en milieu fluide libre. Enfin, le troisième problème englobe les écoulements capillaires en milieux poreux en environnement de pesanteur réduite. Dans le cas d'écoulements immiscibles multiphasiques, il faut prendre en considération l'effet de la tension superficielle aux interfaces. Comme les effets capillaires sont partiellement masqués par les effets de pesanteur durant des expériences au sol, une étude précise des effets de mouillage dans ces écoulements en milieu poreux nécessite de les découpler au maximum des autres effets physiques. Un programme de recherche en microgravité a été réalisé, et un nouveau modèle mathématique qui prend en compte l'influence des forces capillaires a été élaboré dans le cadre d'une collaboration entre le Service de Chimie-Physique et le Prof. N.N. Smirnov du Département de Mécanique et de Mathématique de l'Université d'Etat de Moscou.
La structure de ce travail part du Chapitre 1, qui présente essentiellement les milieux poreux et leurs spécificités. Ce dernier introduit le formalisme et les concepts nécessaires au traitement des trois problèmes de recherche envisagés. Le Chapitre 2 présente ensuite une étude bibliographique du problème de Horton-Rodgers-Lapwood et des phénomènes de dispersion hydrodynamique en milieux poreux. Le Chapitre 3 est consacré à l'effet Christiansen. Le Chapitre 4 présente les dispositifs de laboratoire mis au point, ainsi qu'une compilation des résultats expérimentaux obtenus. Les problèmes d'écoulements capillaires sont exposés au Chapitre 5, étant donné que la technique expérimentale est différente de celle basée sur l'effet Christiansen. Ce Chapitre compare le nouveau modèle mathématique aux résultats des expériences menées en microgravité durant de nombreuses campagnes de vols paraboliques. Le Chapitre 6 referme ce travail par ses conclusions et perspectives.
Throughout the history of the International Space Station (ISS), crews on board have conducted a variety of scientific research and educational activities. Well into the second year of full ...utilization of the ISS laboratory, the trend of scientific accomplishments and educational opportunities continues to grow. More than 1500 investigations have been conducted on the ISS since the first module launched in 1998, with over 700 scientific publications. The ISS provides a unique environment for research, international collaboration and educational activities that benefit humankind. This paper will provide an up to date summary of key investigations, facilities, publications, and benefits from ISS research that have developed over the past year. Discoveries in human physiology and nutrition have enabled astronauts to return from ISS with little bone loss, even as scientists seek to better understand the new puzzle of "ocular syndrome" affecting the vision of up to half of astronauts. The geneLAB campaign will unify life sciences investigations to seek genomic, proteomic, and metabolomics of the effect of microgravity on life as a whole. Combustion scientists identified a new "cold flame" phenomenon that has the potential to improve models of efficient combustion back on Earth. A significant number of instruments in Earth remote sensing and astrophysics are providing new access to data or nearing completion for launch, making ISS a significant platform for understanding of the Earth system and the universe. In addition to multidisciplinary research, the ISS partnership conducts a myriad of student led research investigations and educational activities aimed at increasing student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Over the past year, the ISS partnership compiled new statistics of the educational impact of the ISS on students around the world. More than 43 million students, from kindergarten to graduate school, with more than 28 million teachers located in 49 countries have participated in some aspect of ISS educational activities. These activities include student-developed investigations, education competitions, and classroom versions of ISS investigations, participating in ISS investigator experiments, ISS hardware development, educational demonstrations, and cultural activities. Through the many inquiry-based educational activities, students and teachers are encouraged to participate in the ISS program thus motivating the next generation of students to pursue careers in STEM.