HUMANS IN SPACE
HUMANS IN SPACE INFORMATION
See the latest from NASA at: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/humans-in-space
See NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate’s website: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration-systems-development-mission-directorate.
See NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate’s website: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/space-operations.
For a roster on U.S. Astronauts, see: https://www.nasa.gov/content/human-missions-list
Pre-Apollo, from NASM: https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/apollo-to-the-moon/online/early-steps/humans-in-space.cfm
Who’s in Space NOW? See: https://www.worldspaceflight.com/bios/currentlyinspace.php
Space Travel’s Effect on the Human Body: https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/bodyinspace and https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-happens-human-body-space-180958259
From Arizona State University: https://askanearthspacescientist.asu.edu/explore/humans-in-space ATTENTION TEACHERS: Be sure to check out the “Teacher’s Toolbox” on this website.
HUMANS IN SPACE NEWS
The Not-So-Notorious R.T.G. Could be a Boon to Mars Exploration! Radioisotope Thermal Generators have been used in remote areas on Earth and in spacecraft exploring the Solar System for decades. Recently, a team of chemists at the University of British Columbia has shown that an off-the-shelf RTG could be used on Mars to power the conversion of atmospheric CO2 into a range of chemicals. “The research team determined when the temperature difference between the two faces was at least 40 °C, standard model thermoelectric generators provided enough steady current to power an electrolyzer that converts CO2 to CO.” The power from the RTG could then be used to convert the CO into a number of useful chemicals, including plastics and rocket fuel. For more info, see the summary at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241107115225.htm and the UBC note here: https://science.ubc.ca/news/november-11-2024/shelf-thermoelectric-generators-can-upgrade-co2-chemicals-combination-could. But RTGs alone might not be sufficient…
Powering National Security Space with Nuclear is the title of a recent posting by Aviation Week. “Space-faring nations and the commercial industry are looking to perform missions beyond geostationary orbit—into cislunar and beyond—which will require substantially more powerful energy sources” than the already-used RTG. “Once deployed, nuclear propulsion technology can be applied across a broad range of mission areas—from human space exploration, to in-space debris removal, to dynamic space operations.” The quotes are from an interesting article; see more at: https://aviationweek.com/space/operations-safety/space-ops-powering-national-security-space-nuclear.
Artemis III Moon Landing Sites: NASA has selected nine potential landing sites for the Artemis III mission. All are near the lunar south pole, where there may be water in shaded regions. Regions were selected based on science potential, launch window availability, terrain suitability, communication capabilities with Earth, lighting conditions, and, of course, landing site safety for the Starship HLS. For more see https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-provides-update-on-artemis-iii-moon-landing-regions.
In related news, NASA and its commercial and international partners are developing a robotic lunar explorer called Endurance, designed to rove the south pole region collecting samples that would then be delivered to a NASA Artemis crew for return to Earth for detailed analysis. Check it out at: https://aviationweek.com/space/space-exploration/nasas-endurance-moon-rover-promises-robotic-breakthroughs.
More from Aviation Week
Western Space Agencies Gear Up for a New Era of Lunar Exploration: The recent International Aeronautical Congress meeting was a showplace for the new technologies and tools being developed for human activity on the lunar surface. Such planning and development are needed now, because there are over 400 planned lunar missions by space agencies and private companies in the next two decades.
Both the European Space Agency and Japan’s Ispace presented their plans for a GPS-like satellite navigation system and communications capability. ESA also revealed plans to increase the size of the Lunar View module. Ispace showed off its lunar relay satellites, Alpine and Lupine at the event. Axiom showcased its new lunar spacesuit, designed in part by Prada, has greater flexibility and better electronics than prior Moonwalkers enjoyed. A number of smaller companies and start-ups were present with examples of their contributions to the coming efforts.
Find out more about the IAC and what is in store for lunar exploration in the near future at: https://aviationweek.com/space/space-exploration/western-space-agencies-gear-new-era-lunar-exploration.
UPDATE! Tube, Sweet Tube: The lunar surface is a very hostile place, with extreme swings in temperature and no magnetic field to protect against high-energy charged particles from the Sun. Adequately shielding any habitat is a serious problem.
Unless nature has provided a ready-made solution.
Much of the lunar surface is basalt; there is no limestone or underground water or any of the things that make up most caves on Earth. But terrestrial basalt flows, especially large-scale ones, often “roof over” with congealed lava while the interior of the flow remains liquid. As the flow diminishes and the lava drains away, the conduits through which the lava flowed come tubular passages, lined with once-molten rock. Such lava tubes, if it were on the Moon, could hold a habitat in relative safety, but if only the tubes are actually there.
They are! It’s an old idea, first investigated over 40 years ago. But our photo coverage is much, much better than it was then, thanks to spacecraft like the Japanese Kaguya spacecraft or NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and others.
Finding lava tubes on Earth can be easy, but not always. Geologists are at times helped by the fact that, for whatever reason, the roof of a given tube might collapse in places, revealing the presence of a tube and perhaps the path its flow followed. A new automated search routine for the surface image dataset collection has revealed hundreds of potential tube sites on the Moon.
For more on this exciting topic, see: https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/new-evidence-adds-to-findings-hinting-at-network-of-caves-on-moon and https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/lunar-pits-could-shelter-astronauts-reveal-details-of-how-man-in-the-moon-formed.
UPDATE: NASA has issued an RFP for a “quantum gravity gradiometer,” a device that measures variations in gravitational acceleration precisely enough to detect and map underground structures, like lava tubes, and identify mineral deposits. For more information on the RFP, see: https://aviationweek.com/space/space-exploration/nasa-looks-quantum-tech-find-inhabitable-lunar-lava-tubes.
A National Academies of Science Panel Outlined Human Mars Exploration Priorities: A NAS Engineering and Medicine panel was convened to determine the science objectives for the first Mars campaign. Four general areas of study were prioritized: geological science, astrobiology, atmospheric science/Space physics, and biological science/human factors. The panel’s goals include identifying the science priorities that require a human presence to explore, identifying the types of samples and measurements that will be necessary, identifying a subset of overall priorities that can be accomplished by the first three crewed landings, and related issues. Such NAS guidance is an important part of NASA’s operational planning! For more, see the Aviation Week article at: https://aviationweek.com/space/space-exploration/national-academies-outlines-human-mars-exploration-priorities!
NASA Astronaut Health Experiments: Astronaut Nick Hague will soon visit the ISS on a five-month mission to participate in NASA’s Human Research Program, especially to study Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), caused by fluid shifts due to free-fall conditions, and other Space biomedical issues facing long-duration Spaceflight. For more about Hague and his work, see: https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-astronaut-nick-hague-boosts-human-health-research-in-space.
NASA Astronaut Frank Rubio spent 371 days aboard the ISS recently. His experiences are the subject of the Houston, We Have a Podcast program, Episode 349, entitled “Surpassing a Year in Space.” Rubio was on ISS for 5,936 orbits, covering more than 157 million miles, before returning to Earth on September 27, 2023. Check it out at: https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/houston-we-have-a-podcast/surpassing-a-year-in-space.
NASA Moonwalking in Arizona: Back in the day, Apollo astronauts trained in the Flagstaff area, among other places, for their sojourn on the Moon. That tradition is alive today; NASA Astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas recently performed four Moonwalk simulations to prepare for the Artimus III mission, due to launch in September, 2026. Find out more about it at: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/behind-the-scenes-of-a-nasa-moonwalk-in-the-arizona-desert.
New Insights into How Space Travel Affects the Human Body: “Space Medicine” has been a topic of research for decades, but a package of recent scientific papers summarizes our increased understanding of the issues relating to Space flight. “(A)s space flight becomes more commercialized and more people outside of just NASA's Astronauts pursue orbit, the need to understand the molecular level of humans in Space becomes more important in ensuring their health and safety.” For more information on this issue, see: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240620194013.htm.
Find Out More About Science on the ISS: Check out “Upward,” the “Official Magazine of the ISS National Lab,” here: https://www.issnationallab.org. It’s put out by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, in partnership with NASA. It has a lot of information about the ISS, including a really good education page.
Why Go to Space? See how NASA answers here: https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/why-go-to-space.
Aviation Week Webinar: Momentous Times for the Space Industry: https://aviationweek.com/webinars/webinar-momentous-times-space-industry (no cost, but registration is required).
National Air and Space Museum On-line Exhibition on Human Spaceflight: Check out the UHC’s spaceflight artifacts at: https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/human-spaceflight!
Have You Ever Wondered about Living in Space? There’s a lot to consider when planning any long-term mission, but especially so when you are going to be in a totally hostile, resource-less environment! A number of issues arise, among them: how your body responds to long-term free-fall; how you would eat in Space, or even grow some of your own food; and more. You can find out much more about these topics at: https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/living-in-space.