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Showing posts with the label astronauts

Scientists find 200 'Goldilocks' zones on the moon where astronauts can survive

Lunar scientists think they’ve found the hottest spot on the Moon, as well as about 200 Goldilocks zones that are always close to San Francisco’s average temperature. The moon has wild temperature fluctuations, with parts of month heats up to 260 degrees Fahrenheit (127 degrees Celsius) during the day and drops to minus 280 F (minus 173 C) at night. But the 200 newly analyzed shading moon holes are always 63 F (17 C), meaning they’re perfect for humans to shelter from extreme temperatures. They can also protect astronauts from the dangers of the solar wind, micrometeorites, and cosmic rays . Some of those holes may lead to equally warm caves. These partially shady holes and dark caverns could be ideal for lunar bases, scientists say. “Surviving on a lunar night is very difficult because it requires a lot of energy, but being in these holes and caves almost completely eliminates that requirement,” Tyler Horvath, a doctoral student in planetary science at the University of California,

How Astronauts Can Explore Mars' Grand Canyon, Valles Marineris

Many Mars exploration circles see Wallace Marineris as a “tell it all” place, ready for human exploration that can uncover the planet’s history and potential to sustain microbial life. However, what is the best way to examine the multidimensional geological evidence at this site? Can the crew of the future Red Planet safely dive into this massive canyon system? And what awaits those who explore the vast area classified as the Grand Canyon of Mars? JM Marineris is a huge advantage. The canyon system cuts through the Martian surface for 2,500 miles (4,000 km), covering about one-fifth of Mars’ circumference. At some points, this vast canyon is 125 miles (200 km) wide. In some places, the bottom of the canyon is 8 km deep. Bottom line: Much deeper than Earth’s Grand Canyon. related: Glaciers on Mars may have helped carve out the ‘Grand Canyon’ on the Red Planet To encourage in situ human studies of Wallace Marineris, several experts have identified and named the area known as the “N

How do astronauts' muscles and nerves respond to reduced gravity?

Skeletal muscles are an important part of your musculoskeletal system. They serve a variety of functions. Among the many functions performed by skeletal muscles, one of them is maintaining our posture. On Earth, the musculoskeletal system must support the body’s weight, and the bones and postural muscles are permanently burdened by gravity. But what happens to these muscles when they have no gravity to resist? This question is a topic of interest to many scientists. Recently, a team of scientists from Japan set out to find the answer. They study the response of neuromuscular properties to gravitational unloading and share research-based insights into how astronauts can avoid neuromuscular problems during extended spaceflight. The group explored how the morphological, functional and metabolic properties of the neuromuscular system adapt to reduced anti-gravity activity. Using human and rodent simulation models, they first investigated how afferent and efferent motoneuron activity