Zero gravity is just a myth. Even in orbit, spacecraft farm mini-algae called "micro-gravity" that scientists monitor using a device called SAMS.
Whoever says there are no sounds in space has probably never been there.
In the vacuum of open space, of course, "no one can hear you scream", as said in the famous movie, The Eighth Passenger. But on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, life is full of activity and sound.
Most of them come from the plumbing, hardware, wiring and mechanical equipment that fills every corner. Another part comes from the people themselves, their conversation, work and activity. All these sounds give a kind of personality to the spaceship. For astronauts, these background noises are far preferable to complete silence. But for scientists who have experiments on the spacecraft, the sounds could be an ominous sign. Often, these sounds are a sign of sex - acceleration.
Experiments are usually done in space to avoid acceleration and encroachment. On Earth, all objects are subject to gravitational pressure, which is responsible for effects such as air currents or heat that can disrupt experiments in chemistry or physics, effects that scientists would like to leave behind, on Earth. After all the troubles involved in escaping into space from the disturbances on Earth, it turns out that even in space there are such small vibrations, some of them simply stem from noises.
Is this a real problem?
"Normally not," replies John Charles, chief scientist of Shuttle Flight 107. Most tremors are very small, weighing less than one millionth of the Earth's gravity. But sometimes, adds Charles, even small disturbances can disrupt delicate scientific experiments. For example: "Fire-related experiments really don't like running the shuttle's engines." Charles explains: Flames in space behave strangely. Instead of forming the teardrop shape of a candle flame on Earth, they form small balls, which float and burn with almost no fuel. Scientists hypothesize that within such balls of flames lies the key to creating more efficient engines. The problem is that such balls are very delicate. A small jump is enough to break them apart.
The mission that Charles is leading is actually a 16-day flight of the shuttle Columbia (our own Ilan Ramon is also on board), on board more than eighty scientific experiments, three of which are related to flames and fire.
One of them, a softball, aims to ignite several such flame balls in a special chamber, so that scientists can experiment with them and measure their properties. The space shuttle engines will be shut down during the experiment, to avoid the flame balls hitting the cabin walls due to the vibrations. But what if one of the flame balls goes out anyway? Does this mean we've learned something new about fireballs or is it simply the result of interference from one of the noises on board?
"That's why we have the SAMS - the device for measuring acceleration in space." continues Charles. Sams is a sensitive sensor that measures vibrations and small movements, and picks them all up, including those from human coughing or falling crumbs.
Sams was developed for research missions in space by a group of engineers and scientists at the Glenn Research Center.
"When NASA started conducting microgravity experiments on the shuttle, we realized that we would have to measure the background vibrations." says Thomas Sespora of Zin Technologies, who work under contract with NASA. "Otherwise how would you be able to tell if an abnormality in the test results was real or the result of an interference?"
The SAMS sensors have already been flown on 22 shuttle missions, on the Mir space station, and one of them is permanently located on the International Space Station. "It is simply necessary for space exploration," adds Charles.
On the current Space Shuttle Columbia mission, SAMS is located next to the softball experiment, which is inside the spacehub module, in the middle of the shuttle's cargo hold. The information from SAMS is transmitted directly to Earth, where researchers can monitor the effects of gravity on the environment in almost real time, and make decisions accordingly. If, for example, the shuttle is still shaking after starting the engines, the researchers will know to postpone experiments involving igniting flames.
This way the astronauts can continue their loud cycling, coughing, and even screaming if they feel like it. Sams won't prevent the noises, but it allows researchers to track them. And that sounds like good science.
And thanks to Tom Wagner for his help in translating the news
For Col. Ilan Ramon, this is the first space flight. For dozens of spiders, ants, silkworms, beetle larvae, fish embryos, bees and more than ten laboratory rats - this is the last flight in life. The ten rodents that were "trained" to stay in space came from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.
When "Columbia" returns to Earth, on Saturday (1.2), the astronauts will be sent for strict medical tests. The rats will be "euthanized" and sent to research.
The rats on the shuttle spend their days in space in a special cage with food, water, and adequate ventilation. Above it is a camera. They are given in "almost zero-gravity" - the space conditions that affect the vascular system and the heart. The astronauts are also affected by this. Reports on this matter came from participants of previous space flights. The "Columbia" team - as of this writing - has not complained.
The astronauts reported feeling weak and temporarily losing coordination. On their return to Earth, some tended to faint. The absence of gravity also affects the brain.
When the symptoms appear during the flight, the astronauts may have difficulty controlling the shuttle. In an emergency, it is even dangerous, experts believe.
NASA is looking for a solution to this. That is why the rats were launched into space, in a research project funded by 1 million dollars from the space agency's funds. The team of researchers, led by Dr. Dan Berkowitz (41) will try to find out why this is happening and what treatments to provide in the future to free space flights from these problems.
It is assumed that the research will lead to the development of a more effective treatment for those suffering from difficulties in balancing their blood pressure.
When the rats return to Earth they will be killed by injection. Then they will be dissected and their organs will be sent to research teams for a series of experiments. The crews will work around the clock to complete the task within 24 hours of shuttle feedback. So that the organs of the rats will not have enough time to "adjust themselves" to the earthly conditions of gravity (gravity).
Among the problems that will be investigated: why in almost-zero-gravity (in space) are there difficulties in the blood flow to the brain? What is the mechanism that maintains the normal flow to the brain and suddenly, silenced? What changes in electrical conductivity occur in the heart (space)? Why does the heart rate slow down and the muscles weaken?
It turns out that fitness training, which is designed to strengthen the vascular system of the heart - and which the astronauts also perform in flight - did not help, in the past, to solve the problem. Exercising in the tiny "gym" on the ferry contributed to preventing calcium from escaping from the bones. A phenomenon that was discovered after the first flights into space.
Until now, the solution was to wear pressure and flight suits when landing, to maintain the normal blood flow to the brain. In six previous space flights, the astronauts tried using the drug midodrine, which is given to diabetics, in order to quickly raise their blood pressure.
The rats, like mice, are suitable to be a model for studies concerning humans, because it turned out that their genetic code is quite similar to that of humans. At the beginning of December, the complete mapping of the mouse genome was completed - a cross-border, global project. Compare the mouse genome with the human genome. As a result, scientists could for the first time make comparisons between a human and another mammal.
The comparison made it possible to identify 1200 new human genes, which were not known. They are the key to understanding the evolutionary origins of humans.
The researchers noted that the comparison revealed that in terms of "body plan", physiology and responses to disease, there is an amazing parallel between a human and a mouse/lab-rat. For example: genes related to human diseases have "parallel relatives" in the mouse. The discoveries will enable the development of modern medicines to be launched.
