Significant Achievements in Space Bioscience 1958-1964United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Science
Significant Achievements in Space Bioscience 1958-1964
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Biology; Space flight
All experiments are in various stages of development or testing and
flight test hardware has been and is being constructed. The experiments
and hardware are being subjected to preflight tests simulating launch
and recovery stresses. Rhesus, pigtail, and squirrel monkeys have been
subjected to the dynamic forces of the simulated flight under conditions
of complete, partial, and no restraint. Three types of centrifuges have
been used to simulate the flight profile. Primates were fully
instrumented with deep brain electrode implants, implanted catheters,
and other implanted sensors. During centrifugation, motion pictures were
taken. These primates were semirestrained in form-fitted couches which
allowed movement of the body while facing the accelerative force in a
ventrodorsal position (eyeballs in). In this series of tests, all
primates were normal following the tests and exhibited no unusual
behavior or effects. X-rays showed that implanted catheters and
electrodes remained in place, and there were no movements causing tissue
damage. However, when the primates were placed with their backs toward
the accelerative force, dorsoventral (eyeballs out), the animals
suffered visible damage. At 6 g there was no visible stress, but at 8 g
swelling of the lower eyelids was noticeable. At 11 g both eyelids were
swollen shut. In the biosatellite program, primates will be placed in
the semirestraint couches in a position facing accelerative forces,
ventrodorsal (eyeballs in), to prevent these effects.
chapter 7
_Manned Space Flight_
BIOREGENERATIVE LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Placing a man in space requires a complete life-support system capable
of supplying sufficient oxygen, food, and water and removing excess
carbon dioxide, water vapor, and human body wastes. In addition, the
oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pressure must be maintained at a suitable
level. Any accumulated toxic products and noxious odors must be removed.
In the spacecraft the human is confined in a restricted environment in
which it is necessary to establish a balanced microcosm or closed
ecological system. This is an enormous biological and bioengineering
problem. Weight, size, simplicity of operation, and reliability
particularly are important factors.
For relatively short missions involving one or several astronauts, food,
oxygen, and water can be stored and made available as required, and the
various waste products can be stored. On longer missions, particularly
those involving more than one astronaut, efficient chemical or
biological regenerative systems will be required. Any regenerative
system introduces a fixed cost in weight of processing equipment and
energy requirements.
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