Köln - The Human Side of Space at DLR & ESA

 I recently visited the beautiful German city of Köln (or Cologne). Sitting on both sides of the River Rhine, Köln has always been on my list of favourite cities in the world. Its unique skyline is a blend of quaint, historical architecture and modern, high-rise buildings — making it a European city definitely worth visiting. 

As well as being a cool city, Köln is also home to the headquarters of the German Space Agency or Deutsches zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) and the European Space Agency's (ESA) European Astronaut Centre (EAC) -  making it that much cooler if you ask me :)

During my time in Cologne, I visited both DLR HQ and the EAC ESA centre. The last time I came here was during the ESA Space Medicine Workshop in 2011 when I was still a Biology student at the University of Birmingham. It was great to return over 3 years later now that I work in the space industry and to see it with new, more knowledgeable eyes. 

I paid a visit to the StABLE Study at DLR in particular. The study aims to investigate the impact of a changing rotational axis upon brain perfusion and fluid shift to the lower extremities. In essence, it is trying to figure out the extent to which the Short-Arm Human Centrifuge (SAHC) can be used as a potential countermeasure to the negative impacts of space on the human body. 

Ranging from muscle and bone loss to fluid shift, the SAHC is proposed as an ideal countermeasure to these space side-effects thanks to its short radius. Yet, the extent to which it may be so is still unknown. I watched subjects being spun for science at DLR — work that will better enable scientists to understand the effects of this centrifuge on the human body, especially when the central point of rotation is altered.

Next up on my space agency tour of Köln was the EAC. Home to all things astronaut — the ESA centre is in fact led by ESA astronaut Frank de Winne. As a powerhouse of human spaceflight, the EAC is where astronauts are selected, trained and provided with medical care & support for themselves as well as their families both before and during their time in space.

The Neutral Buoyancy Facility at the EAC is used to simulate weightlessness during astronaut training. It is a great way for astronauts to practice spacewalking and although you can still feel the pull of gravity whilst underwater, it is the closest you can get to microgravity on Earth.

 I also pretended to be Commander of the Soyuz spacecraft - the vehicle that carries astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Developed for the Soviet Space Program in the 1960s, it is still in use today!

My friend Antonio Fortunato works in the position of EUROCOM - or European Spacecraft Communicator. Here, he relays information to the International Space Station from the Columbus Flight Control Team in Munich. When I was there, the station was threatened by a piece of debris - a problem that is unfortunately ever increasing. Teams on Earth worked hard to ensure that the space station successfully dodged the debris - using the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to conduct a debris avoidance maneuver - boosting the station to a higher orbit. Science: 1, Real-life Gravity movie: 0 

Another example of the work conducted by people on Earth for life in space is demonstrated by my friend Romain Charles (pictured above). He spent 520 days in crew isolation from 2010-2011 as part of the first simulation of a manned mission to Mars and back. Named Mars 500 - the psychological experiment kept the crew of 6 locked in their spacecraft as they simulated a return trip to the Red Planet. An incredible achievement!

As a key player in European space activities, Germany definitely is the place to be to learn more about human spaceflight. My trip to DLR and the EAC was a unique insight into the process, people and research involved with putting a human in orbit around Earth. The human side of space is very much present in Germany and I believe that such work is not only important, but vital to advancing as a species together - here on Earth and beyond.

Tschüss!

-Nikita

What’s On the Space Menu? – Vegetables Grown in Space Deemed Safe to Eat

The History of Space Food

The long quest for adequate nutrition in space has taken astronaut consumption from toothpaste tubes and gelatin coated cubes to freeze-dried foods and now to the possibility of freshly-grown vegetables.

This ever-evolving space menu was well documented in Space Safety Magazine’s Space Food special earlier this year, covering the past, present, and future of space food — the struggles to achieve food that is nutritious, long-lasting and safe in the space environment has been a long one.

Early space food involved pre-packaged items that although technically safe and nutritious, were not as appetizing as fresh foods.

(Credits: NASA)

The first space food used on missions consisted of vicious fluid packaged in aluminium tubes, similar to toothpaste tubes. The first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, tested the functionality of the digestive system in space with chocolate sauce and meat paste packaged in such tubes. Although effective for use in microgravity, these were deeply unpopular. Gelatin coated cubes and rehydratable freeze dried foods also made appearances early in the US space program. Available in flavors ranged from cereal to bacon and strawberry — these were not continued since they generated crumbs that posed an inhalation hazard in microgravity and also formed a sticky coating. On the other hand, the rehydratable freeze dried foods that followed were deemed unappetizing by astronauts. The experience and technology gained from these previous iterations of space food helped researchers hone these dense nutritional packages into items of recognizable, even appealing items on the space menu of today.

Achieving Edible Fresh Food in Space

The journey is far from over and the production of fresh food in space without resupply missions from Earth is the ultimate goal. However, we are now half-way there, as growing fresh food in space that is edible has now been successfully achieved. As RIA Novosti reports,Russian scientists have recently verified that several plants grown in space are safe for human consumption. The space grown vegetables range from peas and Japanese leafy greens to dwarf wheat — all of which passed tests on Earth for abnormalities or harmful microbes.

Margarita Levinskikh of the Institute of Biological Problems told the radio show The Voice of Russia that “The plants have been very developed, absolutely normal and did not differ a lot from the plants grown on Earth.” As a co-investigator on the NASA study to validate the Vegetable Production Unit (VPU), she works alongside scientists to ensure that the procedures and protocols used aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to grow fresh food maximise astronaut health and well-being.

The importance of not only growing but also testing the food grown by astronauts and cosmonauts is vital to our development as a space faring species. To assume such foods to be safe once grown in space is a dangerous risk to take. With plant growth affected by the microgravity environment in ways that we do not yet fully understand and microbial organisms known to develop into more virulent varieties under microgravity conditions, scientific investigation of food grown in space is mandatory during this developmental phase of consuming fresh food in space.

The Lada greenhouse, named after the Russian goddess of spring houses vegetables grown aboard the International Space Station.

(Credits: NASA)

Currently, vegetables are grown on board the International Space Station in a special greenhouse named Lada, after the Russian goddess of spring. The unit is equipped with removable root modules containing enough nutrients for several generations of crop-growth — astronauts send these modules back to Earth for analysis once the nutrients are used up. Biologists then probe the root modules and the plants’ leaves for contaminants which may originate from the space station’s environment.

“We have also gotten experience with the astronauts and cosmonauts eating the fresh food they grow and not having problems,” said crop scientist Bruce Bugbee who is also a co-investigator in the research, in an email to Popular Science. As a professor at Utah State University, Bugbee has worked on numerous studies of food grown in space. He adds in an email to Space Safety Magazine, “Since the earliest days of the long-term manned space program, space grown food has undergone an enormous amount of testing… to-date, we have been able to grow only small amounts of fresh food in space. We have long known that fresh food in the diet is important to health.  Dieticians have pushed for more fresh food in the diet in space.  Health professionals are concerned about the safety of a long-term diet of dried, stored food.  We have been working to be able to gradually change this diet.”

With human spaceflight missions sent to increase in duration as we venture further into the cosmos, growing edible food in space is an important area of research for future human settlements in space.  There are several research programs underway that investigate the growth of plants in space. Hundreds of seeds have flown in orbit to determine the effects of the environment – particularly radiation – on their ability to germinate. The use of plants as part of a self-sustaining habitat is another popular area of research that will bring humans one step closer to living in a closed life support system in space. A NASA research team has already developed 100 menu items for use in the Martian environment as humans eventually venture beyond low Earth orbit and journey to the Red Planet to stay.

Orbital Comfort Food

Home comforts whilst abroad on Earth can be an uplifting experience – even more so when orbiting above Earth or on another planet. Such space treats are a welcome break from the monotony of the safe-to-eat space menu and items including Coke, bread, and alcohol have all been briefly embraced by NASA in the past.

Astronauts have access to a variety of flavored drinks whilst in space however soda and carbonated beverages pose a hazard inside their pressurized vessels if carbon dioxide bubbles escape to form a foam or stay in to affect astronaut’s stomachs. However, in 1985 Coca-Cola, and to some extent Pepsi tried to solve these problems by designing special space cans with controlled dispensing. Unfortunately, they were unable to make drinkable coke and carbonated space beverages were not continued and are not available on the ISS today. However, the Coca-Cola cans designed for space did make a special appearance as part of the opening ceremony of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The minute-long advertisement shows a U.S astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut aboard the orbiting outpost watching their two nations going head-to-to head in an Olympic hockey match on Earth. The rivalry between the two jersey-clad crewmates soon gives way to camaraderie as the soft drink is spills and floats around the station, resulting in a team effort to catch the bubbles.

An astronaut drinks Coca Cola from a specially designed can which was flown on the shuttle, yet the carbonated space beverage produced unwanted stomach effects in microgravity. Credits: (NASA)

Bread is a food staple on Earth, however, when taken to space in the past it quickly molded due to the high oxygen environment. One of the most famous space food stories is that of John Young sneaking a corned beef sandwich aboard Gemini 3. The stowaway sandwich quickly turned dry and crumbly and today, ISS crews prefer to use tortillas as a bread alternative due to their long shelf life and low crumb production.

The notion of extraterrestrial sherry arose during the early seventies, when NASA’s focus was shifting from short, Moon-focused missions to missions requiring long-term inhabitation of space; sherry was considered as an addition to the Skylab menu. A small quantity of Paul Mason California Rare Cream Sherry was ordered for the entire Skylab mission and tested on NASA’s zero G plane. Unfortunately, adverse odors and reactions were noted and the sherry never went to space. It was not deemed necessary for nourishment or as part of balanced diet, unlike vegetables which are very much considered a necessity to living in space for the long run. (Gizmodo)

On the other hand, the Russians have looser standards than NASA when it comes to drinking alcohol in orbit. Alexander Lazutkin, who lived aboard Russia’s Mir space station commented that Russian doctors have been said to have sent alcoholic beverages along with spacefliers for years to keep them “in tone” and to “neutralize tension. ” At the beginning of the Space Age, cognac was recommended to stimulate cosmonaut’s immune systems. With strenuous space walks and a stressful working environment, the Russians believe that alcohol helps to enhance job performance and reduce stress.

The Future of Orbital Farming

With the focus of space research moving away from luxury items such as coke, bread and sherry and onto fresh foods, it is important to highlight the advantages of space farming. As well as the nutritional benefit, growing food in space could eventually lower the cost of resupply missions to the International Space Station and have positive effects on the psychological health of astronauts through tending for the plants as they grow.

“Caring for a plant every day provides vital psychological relief, giving astronauts a small remembrance of Earth,” NASA scientist Howard Levine told Modern Farmer.

‘Diary of a Space Zucchini’, a poignant account of the life of a zucchini was kept by astronaut Don Pettit as it grew on board the International Space Station.

(Credits: NASA)

An example of such positivity from growing vegetables in space is Astronaut Don Pettit. He kept ‘Diary of a Space Zucchini’ during his time aboard the station and wrote a creative and poignant personified account of the life of a zucchini growing in space.

“Excitement is in the air. Gardener said we will soon be returning to Earth. Our part of the mission is nearly complete and the new crew will take over for us. I am a bit worried about Broccoli, Sunflower, and me. If Gardener leaves, who will take care of us?” Pettit writes in the voice of the zucchini.

Following the recent verification from scientists that fresh food grown in Lada is deemed safe for consumption, the space menu is set to expand as other vegetable varieties join the line up to grow in the space greenhouse. After repairing Lada, researchers are planning to grow rice, tomatoes, and bell peppers aboard the International Space Station next year, none of which have ever been grown in space before.

With orbital farming in the process of becoming safer with each harvest, the space menu has come far from its toothpaste tube origins. Yet, there are still many questions to be answered and challenges to be tackled with growing food in space. The behaviour of vegetable growth in microgravity requires further long-term study as do types of vegetables that may be practical – and impractical – to grow in space. In time, research into orbital meat growth may one day arise as we establish long-term settlements in space and the natural human appetite for meat is catered to. The space menu is ever-changing and it is vital that time is spent now to produce the nourishing and tasty foods that will stock the space kitchen cupboards of the future.

Feature image caption: Astronauts currently enjoy fresh food sent up from Earth in resupply missions to the station. (Credits: NASA)

Written for Space Safety Magazine by Nikita Marwaha

Snapshots of the Universe

Is the best way to teach physics to kids to make them think that they're just playing a fun game? Sneaky, but effective. With children (and me) glued to their screens with addictive games such as Candy Crush and Minion Rush, why not inject some space education into the games market?

Stephen Hawking has gone to great lengths to promote science through traditional methods such as books and television however he has now entered the software arena to inspire young scientists. The theoretical physicist and Professor teamed up with Random House to create 'Snapshots of the Universe', his first official app.

The iPad app contains mini-games, videos and text that illustrate a plethora of fundamental space concepts. Ranging from learning about G-force with Einstein and putting planets into orbit to master the theory of relativity, the game presents physics and space in a fun and engaging way. Video explanations from Hawking himself are available for the user to delve further into the depths of space.

" Based on the work and writings of Stephen Hawking, this app teaches both adults and students the basic theories that govern our lives on Earth as well as the movement of the stars and planets. You can play and learn at the same time in each of the eight experiments included in Snapshots of the Universe:

- Spin planets in orbit with your own solar system

- Drop objects with Galileo to learn about gravity

- Let Einstein feel some G-force in outer space

- Search for black holes in the constellation of Leo

- Discover Einstein’s warped worldview

- Plus more…"

I think that games such as these are onto something. With increasing evidence on the declining attention span of the younger generation and their increasing ability to use technology such as iPads, teaching through games that encourage learning through entertainment may well be the future of teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Published by Random House, the app is available on iTunes for $4.99.

-Nikita

Meeting Chris Hadfield - An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

He spent 5 months living aboard the International Space Station (ISS), orbiting the Earth and inspiring millions of us on the beauty, awe and wonder of space. Sharing YouTube videos, tweets and Facebook updates of everyday Earth routines performed in space (my favourite is here), stunning ISS-eye view photographs of the world below him, and recording modified David Bowie song 'Space Oddity' , Chris Hadfield has touched the minds and hearts of individuals across the planet. His down to earth nature in combination with his social media outreach skills have taken the world by storm. 

Soon enough, he has become the world's most popular astronaut and today I had the chance to meet him in person at a book signing event in London for 'An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth'. It was great to see so many people immersed in the pages of his book whilst in the queue. I even bumped into a few friendly faces from the International Space University(ISU) and chatted to people who were interested in joining the space industry and told them all about ISU,  it definitely is the place to go if you want to work in space regardless of your background.

Admittedly, I did get super nervous when I was near enough to hear his distinctly Canadian accent and see his infamous moustache, however once I was face to face with the legendary space man his immediate interest in who I was and what I was all about took me by pleasant surprise. I found myself babbling about my love of space to the one person I have looked up to all year and he even light heartedly agreed with me, as an astronaut should!

"My family and I love space"

"So do I!" 

Good one Chris :)

If you would like to meet Chris Hadfield and get your copy of 'An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth' signed by the man himself, be sure to check out his book tour dates here.

-Nikita 

Space Christmas Gift Guide - For Children

Have you ever noticed that most children are fascinated by space from a young age? 

When asked what they want to be when they grow up, they respond enthusiastically with the answer of astronaut and are fascinated by stars and exploring the universe until somehow this grows out of them as they get older and have to choose what they really want to be.

 It happens all the time and unfortunately the stereotypes that most toy manufacturers live up to aren't helping more children, in particular girls hold onto this enthusiasm later on in life.

I've suggested a few Christmas gifts for that starry-eyed child that you know which will nurture their love of space and create fond memories from which they will hopefully one day look back on as what inspired them to join the space industry!

(Clockwise from left to right) The Original Glow Stars Company 'Cosmic Glow Moon and Stars', Brainstorm Toys 'Space Explorer' room projector, The Space Store 'Junior Flight Suit', Goldie Blox and the Spinning Machine, Astronaut Ice Cream 'Vanilla', Snurk 'Astronaut Duvet', LEGO City Space Shuttle, There's No Place Like Space! book, Toy Story 'Alien' toy.

- Nikita

In Focus: Why Spaceflight is Becoming Blurrier Over Time

Scientists have long known that extended spaceflight leads to changes in the human body such as muscle atrophy, bone loss, and fluid shift. Increasing evidence has now been collected that suggests why astronauts may be experiencing visual problems as a result of spaceflight conditions.

Russian biological experiment Bion-M1 revealed further insight into the issue of astronaut eyesight deterioration in space. Launched into space on April 19th, Russia’s first biological research satellite since 2007 carried into orbit a 2,450 kg space zoo before returning to Earth 30 days later.

The extended length of the mission allowed researchers to gain a better understanding of the effects that long-term spaceflight exposure has on living organisms. With 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils, 15 geckos, slugs, snails, and containers of microorganisms and plants on board, Bion-M1 orbited the Earth on a 30-day mission. The flight unfortunately proved fatal for all gerbils and 29 mice, however a key insight into the mechanisms behind the orbital visual problems was gained.

Deputy Director of Russia’s Institute of Medical and Biological Studies Vladimir Sychev explained:

We used to think that in zero-gravity, fluid travelled upward and that the quality of blood improved, but it turns out that it is the other way around. The arteries of the brain come under duress and their capacity is reduced by 40 percent.

The institute also gathered valuable data on the influence of space travel on the spinal cord, inner ear, and processes at the genetic level.

Orhtostatic intolerance is one reason astronauts are always seen seated after returning from an ISS mission. Seen here: Christopher Cassidy, Pavel Vinogradov, and Alexander Misurkin (Credits: NASA).

Bion-M1 revealed that the capacity of the cerebral arteries decreases vastly in space, a symptom of orthostatic intolerance. Triggered by a disruption in blood flow, orthostatic intolerance is common in astronauts upon returning to Earth and readjusting to gravity.

Speaking to Space Safety Magazine, retired NASA food scientist Charles Bourland provides an insight into the link between space food research, orthostatic intolerance, and astronaut vision:

There’s a procedure to reduce the sodium [in space food] because there was some evidence that high sodium might contribute to vision problems that they’ve had on some of the missions.

A recent study into the role of nutritional research in the success of human space flight has noted that prepackaged foods for the International Space Station were originally high in sodium at 5300 mg/d. This amount has now been substantially reduced to 3000 mg/g as a result of NASA reformulation of over ninety foods as a conscious effort to reduce astronaut sodium intake.

Bourland also stated that salt tablets are used as a method of counter-acting the reduction in arterial capacity before reentry:

They have a test called orthostatic tolerance… it basically says ‘can you stand up?’ and a lot of [the astronauts] were failing that, they couldn’t even stand up, and it was because they had low blood fluid levels. So they found out if they give them salt tablets or salt solution just before they come home, it improves their ability to stand up. If you take sodium you retain more fluids and build up your fluid volume.

The subject of astronaut visual quality has been investigated previously. Research from 2012 in the journal Radiology analyzed MRI scans of astronauts returning from at least one month in space and confirmed that fluid shift also contributes to visual disruption as a result of intracranial pressure.

ISS Commander Leroy Chiao performs an ultrasound scan on the eye of Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov during ISS Expedition 10 (Credits: NASA).

Mercury astronaut John Glenn carried a pair of ‘space anticipation glasses’ on board his capsule in order to improve his visual acuity. As well as this, a NASA survey of 300 male and female astronauts found that 49 percent of long-flight and 23 percent of short-flight astronauts had experienced problems with both near and distance vision. In some cases these visual problems persisted for years after their time in space.

Currently, astronauts can live aboard the International Space Station for more than six months at a time. However, a mission to Mars may take years. Without dedicated further research into eye and vision abnormalities in space, there is a chance of astronauts developing serious vision damage or even blindness. Such research is therefore vital to ensure that humans become capable of travelling on longer-duration, interplanetary missions whilst maintaining their health.

Image caption: Research into astronaut eyesight deterioration is vital to the progression of human spaceflight (Credits: NASA).











Written for Space Safety Magazine by Nikita Marwaha