Tag

Microgravity

All articles tagged with #microgravity

space3 days ago•139 min saved

Space constipation explained: microgravity reshapes gut bacteria and risks on long missions

A NASA-backed Nature Communications study analyzed more than 400 blood samples from 52 astronauts who stayed on the International Space Station for 2+ months (2006–2018) and found microgravity slows gut movement and shifts gut bacteria to ferment protein more than usual, helping explain space constipation. While dietary changes (caffeine, fish, fat) influence metabolites, microgravity is the main driver; the resulting protein‑fermentation byproducts may be linked to kidney stress, mood changes, and gut inflammation—risks that could grow on longer missions to Mars. Researchers suggest countermeasures like higher‑fiber diets, probiotics, or ways to boost peristalsis, noting the findings could also illuminate bed‑rest effects on Earth.

via Live Science|

#astronaut-health #gut-microbiome #long-duration-spaceflight

science7 days ago•159 min saved

Spaceflight slows digestion by altering gut microbes, study finds

A study of 488 plasma samples from 52 astronauts on the ISS shows microgravity slows food transit through the gut, prompting gut bacteria to ferment proteins more than usual and producing metabolites that enter the bloodstream. The effect starts within weeks in space and largely reverses after returning to Earth. Findings suggest dietary fiber or slowly fermented carbohydrates could counteract the change for long-duration missions and also offer insights into Earth-based digestive health; published in Nature Communications.

via Space|

#astronauts #digestion #gut-microbiome

science9 days ago•42 min saved

Bubbles Boost Heat Removal in Microgravity—Until a Safety Threshold Is Reached

An npj Microgravity study finds that in near-zero gravity boiling liquid nitrogen can temporarily improve heat removal because bubbles cling to the heater, but once a heat threshold is exceeded cooling collapses (max heat removal falls ~65% vs ground tests); the result emphasizes surface design, using a smooth silicon wafer, for cooling space fuels and electronics.

via Currently.com|

#cryogenic-liquids #experiments #heat-removal

science10 days ago•5 min saved

Microgravity Boiling Reveals Unexpected Cooling Boost Until a Safety Threshold

In near-zero gravity, boiling of cryogenic liquids like liquid nitrogen can transfer heat more effectively because bubbles linger on heated surfaces, improving cooling—up to a point. Parabolic-flight experiments show reduced gravity enhances heat removal initially, but the cooling limit is reached quickly as bubbles link and dry the surface, collapsing the system. Findings underscore the importance of surface design for space cooling and propellant storage, though tests were limited to nitrogen and short flights.

via ScienceAlert|

#boiling #cryogenics #heat-transfer

science-space-exploration15 days ago•6 min saved

Eating in Zero-G: Microgravity’s Impact on Taste, Chewing, and Hydration

Spaceflight shifts body fluids toward the head and dulls taste/smell, making eating and drinking in orbit less satisfying and potentially reducing food intake. Swallowing itself doesn’t require gravity, but microgravity alters saliva production and oral conditions, contributing to dry mouth and swallowing difficulties. These changes can affect nutrition and hydration on long missions, such as a Mars voyage, prompting research into texture-modified foods and 3D-printed meals to tailor nutrition and ease swallowing for astronauts.

via Scientific American|

#astronauts #microgravity #nutrition

science20 days ago•11 min saved

In Microgravity, the Body Rewrites Itself—and Some Changes Linger After Return

Months in space trigger a headward fluid shift that makes astronauts look puffy, while bones lose mineral, muscles shrink (calf ~15%), and the heart becomes smaller with less work to do; the spine lengthens in orbit and briefly grows taller, then returns after landing. Eye changes linked to spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome raise vision concerns on long missions. NASA’s Twin Study showed most changes reverse on return, but about 7% of gene activity remained altered for months and some cognitive and vascular changes persisted. Exercise and nutrition blunt these effects but don’t fully prevent them, underscoring the need for better countermeasures—possibly artificial gravity—for future multi-year missions to Mars.

via Space Daily|

#astronaut-health #bone-density #microgravity

space1 month ago•12 min saved

Spines Stretch in Microgravity as Astronauts Return Taller, Then Reclaim Height on Earth

In microgravity, the spine can lengthen by up to about five centimetres, leaving astronauts temporarily taller on return to Earth before gravity compresses the spine within days; the height gain is attributed to loading changes from gravity rather than muscle or bone loss. Historical data from Apollo-Soyuz and Skylab, plus ISS studies, support this, with seated height measurements affecting helmet and suit fit. The article also notes post-flight back injury risk and calls for routine in-flight measurements, post-flight imaging, and exploration of lumbar-focused countermeasures, given implications for future Artemis/Mars-class missions.

via Space Daily|

#astronauts #microgravity #space

space1 month ago•118 min saved

Space station mystery crystal grows into a scrolling pyramid in microgravity

Astronauts on the International Space Station grew a potassium chloride crystal in microgravity that formed a hollow, scroll-like pyramid shape due to hopper growth—edges and corners extend faster than the faces when gravity is minimal. This gravity-free growth yields unusually orderly structures and fewer defects, offering insight into ideal crystal formation that could inform Earth-made semiconductors and other advanced materials.

via Live Science|

#crystals #hopper-growth #microgravity

science1 month ago•59 min saved

ISS reveals gravity’s sculpting hand in hopper crystals

Astronauts on the ISS grew potassium chloride crystals in microgravity, producing hollow, stair-step “hopper” pyramids as edges and corners expand faster than faces. The near-weightless environment prevents gravity from pulling the crystal down, enabling unusually regular, low-defect structures that could inform earthly materials manufacturing and semiconductor tech—demonstrating how microgravity changes crystallization and sparking scientific curiosity.

via Yahoo|

#crystal-growth #hopper-growth #international-space-station

science1 month ago•6 min saved

Spaceflight Suppresses Mitochondrial Protein Production, Study Shows

Experiments on the International Space Station show microgravity lowers mitochondrial protein production in human cells and in Caenorhabditis elegans larvae by reducing mitochondrial mRNA and ribosome-driven protein synthesis, and reveal a gravity-sensing pathway linked to cell adhesion that could explain spaceflight–related protein activity changes and guide astronaut health strategies.

via Nature|

#microgravity #mitochondria #ribosomes

space1 month ago•14 min saved

Gravity’s Rebound: Spine and Sole Pain After Long Space Missions

Returning astronauts often feel burning sole pain and lower-back ache within days of landing as swollen intervertebral discs in microgravity are suddenly compressed by Earth's gravity; skin loses its Earth-hardening calluses and the vestibular system re-calibrates, making first steps unsteady. Pain typically peaks around days 2–4 as discs rehydrate and recompress while paraspinal muscles re-adjust. The risk of herniated discs is highest in the first year post-flight, especially in the cervical spine. Recovery follows a pattern: stand soon after splashdown but walk unsteadily for days, height returns to normal in about 10 days, and bone density recovery lags behind. Artemis missions and future Mars transits will face these challenges without on-site ground support, requiring careful postflight conditioning.

via Space Daily|

#astronauts #microgravity #space

space-and-spaceflight1 month ago•16 min saved

NASA Extends Quantum Frontier: Bose-Einstein Condensates in Orbit

NASA has upgraded its Cold Atom Lab on the International Space Station to further study Bose-Einstein condensates in microgravity, enabling larger quantum states to be probed for longer times and advancing quantum technologies by leveraging ultracold atoms to measure time, gravity, and motion with unparalleled precision.

via Gizmodo|

#bose-einstein-condensate #cold-atom-lab #international-space-station

technology2 months ago•2 min saved

SpaceX quietly launches Starfall, a secret microgravity capsule with potential military use

SpaceX quietly launched Starfall, a small, secretive capsule on a Falcon 9. FAA filings describe Starfall as enabling affordable microgravity access and rapid space-based cargo delivery, with each capsule capable of about 1,000 kg of payload and an autonomous deorbit—if any—requiring a follow-on vehicle; it will splash down in the Pacific after a short demo. While rumors point to possible military applications, SpaceX has not confirmed any such use, and the webcast was cut shortly after liftoff.

via Euronews.com|

#defense #microgravity #spaceflight

technology2 months ago•2 min saved

SpaceX Quietly Tests Secret Flying-Saucer Capsule for In-Space Manufacturing

SpaceX quietly launched a small, flying-saucer–shaped reentry capsule named Starfall from Cape Canaveral with a limited livestream and no official confirmation of its mission; the secretive test has sparked speculation about military involvement despite SpaceX's existing Defense Department contracts, and FAA environmental documents describe Starfall as a microgravity lab for in-space manufacturing, though recovery details remain unclear.

via Futurism|

#microgravity #military-aerospace #secret-launch

space2 months ago•3 min saved

SpaceX launches secret Starfall reentry demo for microgravity research

SpaceX launched the Starfall Demo mission from Cape Canaveral to test a new reentry capsule designed for in-space manufacturing and microgravity research; the flight focused on demonstrating controlled flight and a reentry splashdown in the Pacific, but the company offered few details and did not confirm recovery or future plans, with FAA filings indicating a ~2,100 kg spacecraft that could carry up to ~1,000 kg of payload. The mission marks SpaceX’s entry into the microgravity market alongside startups like Varda Space and ElevationSpace, potentially reshaping the sector.

via SpaceNews|

#in-space-manufacturing #microgravity #reentry