ISHS Acta Horticulturae 642: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Horticulture, Art and Science for Life - The Colloquia Presentations
LIVING IN SPACE: AN ASTRONAUT PERSPECTIVE |
| Author: | R. Thirsk |
| Keywords: | life sciences research in space, astronaut training, plants and space travel |
| Abstract:
Astronaut preparation, training and delivery of a package of important life sciences and micro-gravity experiments are described and illustrated using the Life and Microgravity Spacelab Mission (STS-78) on-orbit for 17 days in 1996. The 43 experiments involved cooperating scientists from 13 countries. Two experiments were designed to estimate the extent to which long-term space travel, like a Mission to Mars, can affect muscle performance and respiratory function. Other life sciences experiments involved growing pine seedlings and transporting Canola (Brassica napus) seeds. The latter were used post-Mission to engage Canadian school children in the excitement of space research. Personal reflections on the launch, the time in space, and the return to Earth provide some insights into the relationship, from intimate to universal, between humans and their environment. | |
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