scholarly journals Human Space Exploration: The Next Fifty Years

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
David R Williams ◽  
Matthew Turnock
Keyword(s):  
Space Exploration ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Science Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Distance Constant ◽  
Time Distance ◽  
Human Space Exploration

Preparation for the fftieth anniversary of human spacefight in the spring of 2011 provides the space faring nations with an opportunity to refect on past achievements as well as consider the next fifty years of human spacefight. The International Space Station is a unique platform for long duration life science research that will play a critical role in preparing for future human space exploration beyond low earth orbit. Some feel the future path back to the Moon and on to Mars may be delayed with the current commitment of the united States to support the development of human-rated commercial spacecraft. others see this as a unique opportunity to leverage the capability of the private sector in expanding access to  space exploration. This article provides an overview of the past achievements in hu- man spacefight and discusses future missions over the next ffty years and the role  space medicine will play in extending the time-distance constant of human space exploration.

scholarly journals Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Fahrion ◽  
Felice Mastroleo ◽  
Claude-Gilles Dussap ◽  
Natalie Leys
Keyword(s):  
Life Support ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Space Exploration ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
Life Support Systems ◽  
Microgravity Conditions ◽  
Human Space Exploration

There are still many challenges to overcome for human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) (e.g., to the Moon) and for long-term missions (e.g., to Mars). One of the biggest problems is the reliable air, water and food supply for the crew. Bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) aim to overcome these challenges using bioreactors for waste treatment, air and water revitalization as well as food production. In this review we focus on the microbial photosynthetic bioprocess and photobioreactors in space, which allow removal of toxic carbon dioxide (CO2) and production of oxygen (O2) and edible biomass. This paper gives an overview of the conducted space experiments in LEO with photobioreactors and the precursor work (on ground and in space) for BLSS projects over the last 30 years. We discuss the different hardware approaches as well as the organisms tested for these bioreactors. Even though a lot of experiments showed successful biological air revitalization on ground, the transfer to the space environment is far from trivial. For example, gas-liquid transfer phenomena are different under microgravity conditions which inevitably can affect the cultivation process and the oxygen production. In this review, we also highlight the missing expertise in this research field to pave the way for future space photobioreactor development and we point to future experiments needed to master the challenge of a fully functional BLSS.

Long-read sequencing reveals increased occurrence of genomic variants and adenosine methylation in Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 after long-duration flight exposure onboard the International Space Station

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Samantha M. Waters ◽  
S. Marshall Ledford ◽  
Amanda Wacker ◽  
Sonali Verma ◽  
Bianca Serda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Bacillus Pumilus ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Methylation Pattern ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Survival Fraction ◽  
International Space ◽  
Genomic Variants ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Long Read

Abstract Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032, an endospore-forming bacterial strain, was investigated to determine its methylation pattern (methylome) change, compared to ground control, after direct exposure to space conditions onboard the International Space Station (ISS) for 1.5 years. The resulting ISS-flown and non-flown strains were sequenced using the Nanopore MinION and an in-house method and pipeline to identify methylated positions in the genome. Our analysis indicated genomic variants and m6A methylation increased in the ISS-flown SAFR-032. To complement the broader omics investigation and explore phenotypic changes, ISS-flown and non-flown strains were compared in a series of laboratory-based chamber experiments using an X-ray irradiation source (doses applied at 250, 500, 750, 1000 and 1250 Gy); results show a potentially higher survival fraction of ISS-flown DS2 at the two highest exposures. Taken together, results from this study document lasting changes to the genome by methylation, potentially triggered by conditions in spaceflight, with functional consequences for the resistance of bacteria to stressors expected on long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit.

scholarly journals Materials for Shielding Astronauts from the Hazards of Space Radiations

1998 ◽  
Vol 551 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Wilson ◽  
F. A. Cucinotta ◽  
J. Miller ◽  
J. L. Shinn ◽  
S. A. Thibeault ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Space Exploration ◽  
Solar Energetic Particle ◽  
Heavy Ion ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
High Hydrogen ◽  
Deep Space Exploration ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Human Space Exploration

AbstractOne major obstacle to human space exploration is the possible limitations imposed by the adverse effects of long-term exposure to the space environment. Even before human spaceflight began, the potentially brief exposure of astronauts to the very intense random solar energetic particle (SEP) events was of great concern. A new challenge appears in deep space exploration from exposure to the low-intensity heavy-ion flux of the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) since the missions are of long duration and the accumulated exposures can be high. Because cancer induction rates increase behind low to rather large thickness of aluminum shielding according to available biological data on mammalian exposures to GCR like ions, the shield requirements for a Mars mission are prohibitively expensive in terms of mission launch costs. Preliminary studies indicate that materials with high hydrogen content and low atomic number constituents are most efficient in protecting the astronauts. This occurs for two reasons: the hydrogen is efficient in breaking up the heavy GCR ions into smaller less damaging fragments and the light constituents produce few secondary radiations (especially few biologically damaging neutrons). An overview of the materials related issues and their impact on human space exploration will be given.

scholarly journals Designing Procedure Execution Tools with Emerging Technologies for Future Astronauts

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1607
Author(s):  
John A. Karasinski ◽  
Isabel C. Torron Valverde ◽  
Holly L. Brosnahan ◽  
Jack W. Gale ◽  
Ron Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Human Spaceflight ◽  
Control Center ◽  
New Era ◽  
Ground Support ◽  
Long Duration

NASA’s human spaceflight efforts are moving towards long-duration exploration missions requiring asynchronous communication between onboard crew and an increasingly remote ground support. In current missions aboard the International Space Station, there is a near real-time communication loop between Mission Control Center and astronauts. This communication is essential today to support operations, maintenance, and science requirements onboard, without which many tasks would no longer be feasible. As NASA takes the next leap into a new era of human space exploration, new methods and tools compensating for the lack of continuous, real-time communication must be explored. The Human-Computer Interaction Group at NASA Ames Research Center has been investigating emerging technologies and their applicability to increase crew autonomy in missions beyond low Earth orbit. Interactions using augmented reality and the Internet of Things have been researched as possibilities to facilitate usability within procedure execution operations. This paper outlines four research efforts that included technology demonstrations and usability studies with prototype procedure tools implementing emerging technologies. The studies address habitat feedback integration, analogous procedure testing, task completion management, and crew training. Through these technology demonstrations and usability studies, we find that low- to medium-fidelity prototypes, evaluated early in the design process, are both effective for garnering stakeholder buy-in and developing requirements for future systems. In this paper, we present the findings of the usability studies for each project and discuss ways in which these emerging technologies can be integrated into future human spaceflight operations.

The development of a multifunctional composite material for use in human space exploration beyond low-earth orbit

JOM ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sen ◽  
E. Schofield ◽  
J. S. O’Dell ◽  
L. Deka ◽  
S. Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Composite Material ◽  
Space Exploration ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Earth Orbit ◽  
Human Space Exploration

The AMINO experiment: a laboratory for astrochemistry and astrobiology on the EXPOSE-R facility of the International Space Station

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Cottin ◽  
K. Saiagh ◽  
Y.Y. Guan ◽  
M. Cloix ◽  
D. Khalaf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Vacuum Ultraviolet ◽  
Rna World ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
International Space ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
World Hypothesis

AbstractThe study of the evolution of organic matter subjected to space conditions, and more specifically to Solar photons in the vacuum ultraviolet range (120–200 nm) has been undertaken in low-Earth orbit since the 1990s, and implemented on various space platforms. This paper describes a photochemistry experiment called AMINO, conducted during 22 months between 2009 and 2011 on the EXPOSE-R ESA facility, outside the International Space Station. Samples with relevance to astrobiology (connected to comets, carbonaceous meteorites and micrometeorites, the atmosphere of Titan and RNA world hypothesis) have been selected and exposed to space environment. They have been analysed after return to the Earth. This paper is not discussing the results of the experiment, but rather gives a general overview of the project, the details of the hardware used, its configuration and recent developments to enable long-duration exposure of gaseous samples in tight closed cells enabling for the first time to derive quantitative results from gaseous phase samples exposed in space.

Planning for a Space Station

1985 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16
Author(s):  
M. B. Nolan ◽  
E. B. Pritchard
Keyword(s):  
Technology Development ◽  
Space Shuttle ◽  
Space Station ◽  
The United States ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Earth Orbit ◽  
Space Systems ◽  
Efficient Access ◽  
Current Assessment ◽  
Future Plans

The Space Shuttle, as the keystone of the United States Space Program, is providing routine and efficient access to and return from low Earth orbit. The next major space initiative must build on and complement these existing space systems while significantly enhancing the national capabilities for routine and efficient operations in space. Past and current studies indicate that a permanent research and operations base in low Earth orbit is the correct next step for NASA to pursue. The operations and research base, as currently perceived, is a combination of manned and unmanned facilities located in low Earth orbit and interconnected by teleoperated transportation stages. A Space Station thus provides new and unique operational and research opportunities that complement the capabilities of the Space Shuttle principally by removing the constraint of time from future mission planning. The current assessment of requirements in the areas of science and applications, commercial utilization, technology development, and national security are discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion of the future plans within the Space Station Program.

The cislunar spaceport for the crew delivery to the lunar surface

2019 ◽  
pp. 5-13
Author(s):  
Yury N. Makushenko ◽  
Rafail F. Murtazin ◽  
Dmitry S. Zarubin
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Space Exploration ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Lunar Orbit ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Deep Space ◽  
Deep Space Exploration ◽  
National Programs ◽  
Lunar Lander

The success of the International Space Station project has inspired the partners to review possible steps in space exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit. The Moon, Mars, or asteroids - the priorities of partners’ national programs could be different. Understanding of the deep space exploration viability by the joint team led partners to consideration regarding Cis-Lunar Spaceport which will become a Spaceport and should facilitate the implementation of the national programs. At the present time a concept of the Spaceport located on high-elliptical lunar orbit is being widely discussed. The Spaceport is considered to be a transportation hub supporting deep space exploration programs: missions to the Moon, asteroids, Mars and other natural and artificial objects. Different schemes of crew delivery to the lunar surface using Lunar Lander based and serviced at the Spaceport are compared in the paper. The Spaceport utilization significantly reduces transportation operations time limits and provides conditions for reusable lunar spacecraft implementation. Key words: Cislunar spaceport, high-elliptical lunar orbit, ascent module, descant module, reusable lunar crew vehicle.

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