Humans in Space

Every day since Nov. 2, 2000,

PEOPLE have been orbiting our planet inside the International Space Station, bringing together science, technology and human innovation to enable new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth.

Three different varieties of plants growing in the Veggie plant growth chamber on the International Space Station were harvested

~NASA astronauts and scientific work spaces aboard the station, as well as scientific investigations installed outside the station, make possible fundamental and cross-discipline research,

Advancing! scientific knowledge about Earth, space and the physical and biological sciences, benefitting people living on our home planet and future explorers.

As a testbed for deep space exploration, the station is helping us learn how to keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrating technologies for human and robotic exploration beyond low-Earth orbit, to the Moon and Mars.

~The station facilitates the growth of a robust commercial market in low-Earth orbit as the only U.S. National Laboratory in space.

Commercial cargo resupply and commercial crew transportation to the station and low-Earth orbit will enable a space exploration economy. The International Space Station is a blueprint for global cooperation for future exploration beyond Earth – one that enables U.S.-led multinational partnerships and advances shared goals in space exploration.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is working with American aerospace industry as Boeing and SpaceX develop and operate a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems to carry crews of four to the International Space Station, which will provide additional research time and broader opportunities of discovery on the orbiting laboratory.

With commercial companies providing astronaut transportation to and from low-Earth orbit, NASA can focus on building spacecraft and rockets for missions to the Moon and Mars.

As the third-brightest object in the sky (only the Sun and Moon are brighter!), the International Space Station is easy to see at dawn or dusk when it flies over your home. Sign up for text messages or emails to know when and where to look up and wave at the astronauts at NASA’s Spot the Station webs.

HUMANS BODY IN SAPCE :

For more than 50 years, NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) has studied what happens to the human body in space. Researchers are using what they learn to design procedures, devices, and strategies to keep astronauts safe and healthy throughout their missions.

NASA engineers use the lessons learned to better design spacecraft and improve the fit and functions of spacesuits. The research also aids in the development and assessment of medical standards, physical fitness programs and standards, physiological and psychological adaptation training, sensorimotor training, and nutritional health protocols.

Understanding the effects of spaceflight on humans is essential as astronauts move from the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit to deep space destinations on and around the Moon, and beyond. With the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and next man on the Moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before, gathering new data while keeping astronauts healthy and safe.

SPACE RADIATION

In space, astronauts are exposed to varied and increased levels of radiation that are different from those on Earth. Three major sources contribute to the space radiation environment: particles trapped in Earth’s magnetic field, solar energetic particles from the Sun, and galactic cosmic rays.

A big challenge in reducing the risks of radiation exposure is that some space radiation particles (especially galactic cosmic rays) are difficult to shield against. Exposure to increased radiation can be associated with both short- and long-term health consequences, depending on how much total radiation astronauts experience and the time frame in which they experience that exposure.

~Increased risk of cancer and degenerative diseases, such as heart disease and cataracts, have been observed in human populations exposed to radiation on Earth. Health risks for astronauts from radiation exposure in space are mainly driven by long-term impacts.

Additionally, animal and cellular research indicate that the type of radiation in the space environment has a larger impact on health outcomes compared to the radiation experienced on Earth. Not only will astronauts be exposed to more radiation in space than on Earth, but the radiation they are exposed to could pose increased risks.