With the latest space mission to continue construction of the ISS, it occurred to me, are we resilient enough to recover from zero gravity from extended periods of time in space, even as little as a week? It seems to me that after a week in space simple movements on earth must feel like the equivalent of the G-forces a fighter pilot must feel when flying an F-16 or something.
2006-12-13 15:28:50 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Astronauts lose up to 25% of their muscle mass in as little as a week in space. As a result, often astronauts have to be helped out of their space craft, upon return to earth. This is a result of not getting the constant work out that we normally all get on earth from simple living in an environment that has constant gravitational force. A Russia cosmonaut was able to create a workout basically using bungee cords to fake gravitational force, but he had to spend two hours a day working out to simply reduce his muscle mass loss so that he can walk off the space craft upon return to earth on his own. This fact throws allot of doubt on those big head, pencil neck alien theories. If this sort of alien existed, after travelling in zero gravity and then landing on earth, they would break their necks.
2006-12-13 15:41:54 · answer #1 · answered by Fred B 2 · 11⤊ 0⤋
Yes..the fact that they were born in zero gravity is of little significance. Just being born there and then coming to the earth would be mildly different than a newborn baby now. Being born in space would be no different. Now, if the entire gestation was in zero gravity, the baby would not have developed muscles, and thus would have issues once they got into a gravitational enviroment, but the muscles would develop. Same thing for someone who was born and lived in space for a while. The inhabitors of the space station got through extensive physical therapy when they get back to earth after months in space to redevelop the muscles and acclaimate to the environment.
2016-03-13 06:43:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Space ships are not made with artificial gravity. Returning astronauts do have an acclimation period when they return. This is similar to being on a boat for a few days and coming back to terra firma.
Also, humans can live fine in zero gravity as long as they have oxygen and nutrients. All of our bodily functions are carried out using muscular contractions so fluids travel freely. If anything, their back and joint pain is decreased because they don't have stress on weight bearing joints and they are allowed to heal.
2006-12-13 15:39:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, that's one of the questions they hope to answer with the extended stay. So far, they know that it causes muscle atrophy. But since then, astronauts exercise on the ship to stay in shape. So I'm sure they will discover any problems and then find a way to fix them.
Also, I don't think they are phsycially bothered by the force (like your analogy with the fighter pilot). I think they are mostly just disoriented. Like if you get in a pool and do a few flips. You can't feel gravity pulling, so you don't know which way is up. It's the opposite with them. So they get vertigo. I actually can't rememeber how they combat that.
But I think that the space station itself rotates so that an "artificial gravity" is created.
2006-12-13 15:42:24 · answer #4 · answered by retzy 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Loss of muscle mass and bone mass, fluid redistribution from the lower body up, overall fluid loss, heart slows down, decreased production of red blood cells, balance disorders, weakening of the immune system, nausea and other less serious effects.
2006-12-13 16:45:32 · answer #5 · answered by ZeedoT 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
man cant live with zero gravity because human made to cope with the earthly conditions and with that the spaceships are made with artificial gravity so that it will feel like they are moving on earth
2006-12-13 15:32:26 · answer #6 · answered by arn_14 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋