Questions tagged [humans]
Questions relating to human physiology, as it affects capabilities in space.
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If a baby was born on the ISS, what would its nationality be?
If a baby was born on the ISS, what would its nationality be? Many countries grant citizenship to any baby born within their territory, but the ISS is not national territory ... or is it? If a ...
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Why does centrifugal force cause gravity?
I have read several space books on processing resources in space. They talk about using distillation by rotating a section. WOuldn’t the centrifugal force cause the mixture to separate by its self? ...
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Upper limit of human comfort in higher atmospheric pressures?
At what atmospheric pressure, assuming an earth-like atmospheric composition, do humans start to feel uncomfortable? I am not asking for the max survivable pressure, but the point where long term ...
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How much gravity do Humans need?
My question is how much gravity do Human Beings need to be reasonably healthy long-term?
I am aware that the current answer to this question is "We don't know", but I wish to know if we have ...
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Are there any considerations to build up would-be colonial newborns' immune systems when space outposts are designed to be as sterile as possible?
Following the Hygiene hypothesis, newborns in sterile environments would develop a weaker immune system and be more likely to develop allergies.
To some extent the immune system can be made to be ...
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Martian dust getting into habitats
Martian dust could cause lung disease including cancer.
Space suits and boots would become contaminated and bring the dust into the habitats.
How would human missions to Mars mitigate this issue?
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How does the Dragonfly helicopter for Titan compare to Perseverance, Ingenuity and a human in terms of size, mass, weight and daily range?
It wasn't until Are Perseverance's wheels really this big? that I realized just how big Curiosity and Perseverance probably are. Writing What is the pop-up circular disk with spiral pattern in ...
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Using a fidget spinner to rotate in outer space
There is a question How do astronauts turn in space?, and related questions here and on physics.stackexchange, that detail how astronauts might maneuver by spinning their upper and lower body ...
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Could artificial gravity on long space flights reduce deterioration of eyesight?
It has been found that micro-gravity adversely affects blood flow to the human eye. How will this problem be treated on flights to Mars, for instance? Rotating spacecraft, perhaps?
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What schedule do Curiosity operators follow so Mars Time does not negatively impact their performance and health?
In the Choosing Mars-Time: Analysis of the Mars Exploration Rover Experience paper (2004), the NASA Ames Human Factors group recommends that those working on the Mars Exploration Rover mission should ...
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How low would gravity have to be for the balance system to fail?
This is a very critical question that is necessary to get answered for flights to distant celestial bodies. The inner ear liquid makes you perceive which way you're pulled onto a celestial body. This ...
user35272
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What would it feel like for an astronaut if his/her spacesuit ran out of air?
I’m curious what it would feel like if an astronaut’s spacesuit ran out of air while they were on mars, vs taking the suit off?
inspired this question
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Outer space and dark-adapted vision
Does being in outer space, without the glare of the Sun, have any impact on human vision? Is dark-adapted vision improved when astronauts are orbiting the Earth and in its shadow?
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Has any human ever had the choice to leave Earth permanently?
Far beneath the ship / The world is mourning
They don't realize / He's alive
No one understands
But Major Tom sees / "Now the light commands
This is my home / I'm coming home."
Peter ...
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Does prolonged space flight have any effect on the physical traits of the human body?
Can a variable of physical traits like height, weight, complexion be changed in outer space? Maybe by gravity or by something else that determines these traits (like the UV rays of the sun that ...
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Pressurized Organic Oxygen Pods
Human waste could be used in a hydroponics facility to grow algae in space or Mars in pressurized tanks, and the photosynthesis can be used to convert CO2 to breathable oxygen. A carbon dioxide ...
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What would the human gait look like on Mars?
Is there an approximation of what a human would look like walking on Mars? Would it be closer to how the astronauts walked on the Moon or the way we walk on the Earth?
With the gravitational ...
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What is the maximum atmospheric pressure a human can tolerate? [duplicate]
How much pressure can the human body tolerate before living is impossible (e.g. skin begins to rupture, etc.)?
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How do I dress for a hike on a hot summer day on Titan?
Titan has an atmosphere with a surface pressure of around 150 kPa. It has an average surface temperature of around 94 K, around -183°C. On a nice, sunny, calm, summer day near the equator, it may ...
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Artificial gravity on Mars
It is well-known that the lack of gravity during spaceflight is a cause to many sorts of health issues.
It is thus expected that Martian gravity (significantly lower than Earth's) will have influence ...
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Is it possible to get married in space?
Is it possible to have a legal wedding in space?
For example, any of the following could answer the question:
Does any national law system explicitly define a specific process for validly performing ...
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Nudism in space: Why wear clothes anyway?
Currently, doing laundry in microgravity is an unsolved engineering problem. The result is that clean clothes on the International Space Station have become a consumable resource. Clean clothes get ...
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What is the best position for a human to be in during launch?
We know from the answers to the question If a human is being sent to space in a rocket, does the seating angle matter? that seating position at launch is of less concern than landing. We also learn ...
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What is the probability that a deep space crew is hit by a Solar proton storm?
The Sun's magnetic field now and then accelerates a gigantic amount of high velocity protons in different directions. Regardless of the types and causes, let's call it "proton storm" when it is ...
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How much gravity is actually needed to avoid serious health consequences?
Most discussion I have read about using tethers and rotation in order to simulate gravity on spacecraft, talk about simulating Earth's gravity - 1g or 9.8 m/s2.
Baked into the 1g figure is the ...
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Effects of microgravity on human body in a days time
Many websites tell me effects of microgravity on the human body over a period of months. However nothing about the immediate effects of it. Could it be because there isn't any? I once read that fluid ...
user12889
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Decision Factors for using 100% $ O_2 $ cabin atmosphere in early US space program
What are the reasons for deciding to use a 100% $ O_2 $ cabin atmosphere in the early US space programme?
Was danger of nitrogen narcossis a factor?
Did all missions prior to Apollo 1 use a 100% $ ...
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Footage of Space Shuttle astronauts during launch and reentry
Is there readily available video of Space Shuttle missions showing the crew:
During the entire time period from ignition to shortly after the shuttle has passed through planet Earth's atmosphere?
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Why only 2 male astronauts for the Year In Space ISS Mission?
I wonder why the space agencies chose only 2 males for the Year In Space ISS Mission?
I think it would have made more sense to have at least 1 male and 1 female astronaut, or more preferably 3 male ...
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Are exoplanets in the habitable zone suitable for human colonization?
If they found the those planets in the habitable zone, are they planning ahead for human settlement of them?
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Mitigating nausea when generating artificial gravity by centrifuge
When utilizing "artificial gravity" generated through a rotating structure using centripetal force, i.e. a centrifuge, is there a minimum diameter or some other attribute that causes or helps ...
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Would human "superpowers" in low gravity fade away through reduced muscle mass?
If suddenly put in a low gravity as on the Moon or on Mars, humans should feel very strong, easily breaking some olympic records for example. Apollo astronauts have said that they did not get tired ...
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How heavy does radiation shielding have to be for a nuclear power plant on a crewed spaceship?
How important is the mass penalty for shielding when using nuclear power on human space missions?
In addition to solar and cosmic radiation, living next to a nuclear reactor large enough to support a ...
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Maximum survivable long term g-forces
I assume this hasn't got a precise answer, but I was wondering if anyone had an indication of the maximum survivable long term g-forces, if the persons positioning was optimal?
For example, could you ...
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How would cryogenics work to keep a pilot alive during long term travel?
How would a cryofreeze work in order to keep the pilot alive long enough to survive an automated travel to some destination?
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What has been done and what remains to be done to land humans on Mars? [closed]
I get the impression that NASA has done alot to make a crewed landing on Mars possible. Not as a focused mission like Apollo, but piece by piece in spite of the lack of dedicated and lasting political ...
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Do humans need less calories and water in microgravity?
Astronauts in microgravity don't use their legs much. This has negative health effects in the long run. But I wonder if it doesn't have the good side of lowering human need for food and water and thus ...
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Does space environment affect human embryonic development?
What would the effects of pregnancy in space environment be on a human fetus? I understand that astronauts on long-duration missions in microgravity environment experience bone density loss. Would ...
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Could you fly on the Moon, in Earth's atmospheric pressure, by flapping wearable wings?
According to this site, NASA produced a public domain painting representing what the Olympics could look like on a lunar colony. In the upper right of the picture, there are people flying by flapping ...
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Can humans live in something like the ISS around gas giants?
Beside solar winds and cosmic rays, would they need some form of shielding from whatever deadly comes from these planets ?
And about this potentially deadly stuff coming from the planets, what would ...
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Combating negative effects of space
After seeing this article about a skin-tight space suit, I was wondering what were the different ways of combating the negative effect of being in space, e.g. artificial gravity? How far away are ...
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Do NASA currently (early 2014) have any development projects for a better space ship?
Is NASA developing a new generation os human transportation ship, or are they doing any kind of research and/or development which final aim is to invent a new space ship model?
If I know well, NASA ...
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Won't an astronaut exposed to the vacuum of space bleed from everywhere?
A hickey can cause the blood to raise to the top levels of skin, leaving you violet mark on the skin. However, articles about space exposure (Wikipedia, nasa.gov) do not talk about bleeding at all.
So ...
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Can I drink the water from the plumes of SSME?
Shuttle's SSME uses cryogenic Hydrogen(LHX) and Oxygen(LOX) as their propellent to give hot water vapour. If I somehow manage to get the exhaust plume and condense it to liquid, Can I drink it ...
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Do astronauts take any pills to battle bone density loss?
Is the effect of micro-gravity on bone structure similar to osteoporosis? If so, do they often take simple pills like calcium or more advance medicine such as ones listed here? Lastly, are they ...
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Could helmet-fogging occur on Mars, or on any other celestial body with an atmosphere?
When I drive in cold/wet weather the state of the roads is cause for concern. But more worrying is the risk of the wind-screen fogging over when least it should.
Space/Earth orbit is a different ...
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How do astronauts battle loss in blood volume in microgravity?
Past manned space missions teach us that the loss in gravity gradient has an adverse effect on the blood volume of astronauts. Our bodies are simply built to expect pressure gradient and in gravity, ...
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What is the exercise regimen under the SPRINT program?
NASA says (emphasis mine)
Current exercise countermeasures on the International Space Station (ISS) are insufficient to prevent muscle atrophy, cardiovascular deconditioning and bone loss ...
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Do we have motion sickness in zero gravity? [duplicate]
In zero gravity, the vestibular system (which is responsible for feeling the balance) doesn't work since the fluids in it don't move properly in absent of significant gravitational force. Does it also ...
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What would the size and rotation of a station need to be to produce 1g gravity from head to toe?
A structure with a radius of 224m rotating at 2 rotations per minute will generate 1g of force on the inside (spincalc). It will generate that force on the feet, but as you travel up the body the ...
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