International Space Camp - zažít vesmírný trénink na vlastní kůži

Když jsem se před dvěma lety doslechla o akci jménem International Space Camp, ještě jsem netušila, že dnes se budu připravovat na odlet v pátek brzy ráno, na dusné a horké alabamské klima, komunikaci s Američany a vesmírné trenažéry. Ale je to tak!

Před dvěma lety jsem ještě pochybovala o svých komunikačních i finančních schopnostech. Ty finanční se od té doby sice příliš nezlepšily, ale má angličtina ano - a říkala jsem si, proč konkurz nezkusit? Jedné poměrně teplé březnové soboty dorazilo do pražského planetária jedenáct kandidátů na účast v ISC 2008. Česká republika tam vysílá své delegace už od roku 1994. Vždy letí dva studenti od 15 do 18 let a jeden učitel jako doprovod.

Já a ještě jeden student z Opavy jsme uspěli. Za dva dny letíme. Strávíme týden ve výcvikovém středisku Space Rocket Center v Huntsville v Alabamě, USA, v místě, kde Wernher von Braun projektoval rakety, jež později dosáhly Měsíce, a kde se mnoho astronautů připravovalo na svůj let do vesmíru. Část výcviku - simulovaný stav beztíže v obrovské nádrži s vodou, "měsíční chůzi", pobyt v centrifuze i desítky metrů trvající volný pád - zažijeme i my. Kromě toho se setkáme s vědci i astronauty NASA, vyslechneme několik přednášek, zhlédneme filmy s vesmírnou tematikou a na konci nás čeká simulovaný vesmírný let, který si budeme sami řídit. Setkáme se s delegacemi z přibližně 30 zemí světa, s lidmi, kteří možná jednou uvidí Zemi z výšky mnoha set kilometrů.

Každý účastník konkurzu měl s sebou přinést dvou až třístránkovou práci na téma kosmonautiky a životopis, obojí samozřejmě v angličtině. V ní probíhal i test a pohovor.

V následujících dvou týdnech budu, pokud to čas dovolí, dodávat aktuální informace o ISC a možná i New Yorku, kam se po Space Campu jedeme na pět dní podívat. Po návratu budu pravděpodobně připravovat obsáhlejší článek o celé naší cestě a zajímavých prožitcích.

Zde pro zajímavost připojuji práci, kterou jsem dodala na konkurz, týkající se problémů dopadu dlouhodobých pobytů ve vesmíru na lidské zdraví:

Impact of long-term cosmic flights on human health

If we want to reach far-distant objects like Mars and later maybe more distant parts of our solar system with the human crew, at first, we must minimize all hazards of those missions. The impact on human health belongs among one of the most dangerous.

In the weightlessness comes to calcium decrease and sequentially to bone embrittlement, also to blood volume reduction, muscle atrophy (including heart muscle) especially in legs and weakening of the whole cardiovascular system. Lower limbs are worse perfused. Astronauts in the weightlessness also lose their natural balance sense and mechanism of their locomotion changes.

Enhanced radiation during long-term flight can damage the DNA and cause various diseases including cancer growth. We don't know yet very well the changes in immune system during a stay in space.

A big hazard are also the "common" diseases like cold, influenza, eczemas or indigestion. If a crew member fell seriously ill and the operation would be unavoidable, how would the team react?  And what if it would be even the expedition doctor? Basic operation instruments must be extremely simple and effective as well. There must be a possibility of communication with the Earth. But waiting for the answer could take tens of minutes or even few hours.

Psychological factor is also very important. Long separation from the Earth and close people, narrow space and hazard of "social irritation" can take really bad effect on the human psyche.

Here is a brief description of individual problems and their possible solutions:

Muscle atrophy and changes in blood volume and distribution: In the zero-gravitation, mainly lower limbs muscles weaken and atrophy, but not only them. To maintain a good physical condition, the astronauts must do exercises at least two hours a day. They also should wear few times a week special LBNP (Lower Body Negative Pressure) trousers, which by means of underpressure help to distribute more blood into legs. I would propose as well to fabricate a rotating part of the spaceship, in which would be at least small artificial gravitation. It would help to keep a good condition and would ease many experiments (for example cultivation of plants, found preparations research etc.).

Radiation: Until now, the longest stay of human on the space station lasted more than four hundred days and no persistent aftereffects were noticed. But we can't say it for a certainty in the case of radiation - they can develop years later, for example as a cancer spread. However, it is impossible to say whether the irradiation was the only and/or main reason. It seems that long-term exposure to cosmic radiation isn't very dangerous contrary to short-time intense radiation. The spaceship must undoubtedly have the anti-radiation cover and good shields in case of solar storms. Altogether, radiation seems to be one of the smaller problems of the space expedition.

Immune system: It usually comes to the inhibition of white cells activity in the weightlessness. It can be connected with thin out of bones. There are less infectious germs on the spaceship; on the other hand it's an adverse environment inside the ship for human health - crowded conditions and absence of fresh air, vitamins and sensual stimuli. All this can have an influence on the immunity function. A possible solution is taking food supplements for the immunity reinforcement and few other things described in another points (doing exercises, supplements including calcium, sensual stimuli inducing etc.).

Bone embrittlement: As the calcium content in bones decreases about 1 % a month in the weightlessness, it's important to continuously complement this element. Whereas it's not possible to have fresh milk and dairy products (except milk powder) on the spaceship, astronauts should take calcium supplements. Nowadays, it's possible to try different sorts of them on space stations and find out which are the most effective.

Operations: In September 2006, the French realized the first operation of human in the weightlessness. During the series of thirty-second moments of zero-gravitation in parabolic flight of Airbus A-300, the doctors removed a patient a subcutaneous lipoid protuberance. All the instruments were magnetized, a surgical bed as well, and the patient was strapped. The eventual operations will be most probably done in this way - if the spaceship doesn't have a rotating part with artificial gravity.

Some surgeons think that in case of a limb injury requiring complicated operation, amputation would be the best solution because the operation would put into risk more crew members and the injury might badly heal in the weightlessness. Moreover, if a patient was infected, his/her life would be jeopardized. Even those risks must be the crew prepared for. That is why the crew members must be strong and sturdy people - not only physically, but also mentally...

Mental condition: It's maybe the most important factor of eventual mission to Mars or beyond. On the spaceships the sensual deprivation (absence of sensual stimuli) can occur. There are many stimuli on the Earth - there are always many smells, sounds, colours, shapes and surfaces to touch. The same place can look very differently in various times. But the spaceship is largely monotonous and almost boring place. The crew can get to know the surroundings soon and then won't meet anything else. That's very dangerous for the mental condition. The sensual deprivation can lead to depression, chronic tiredness or passivity. Therefore it's necessary to provide enough sensual stimuli - plants on-board, listening to music, watching movies, collective conversation, games etc. They can also help the crew to relax and prevent the "social irritation" - situation, when the people are "allergic" to each others and their narrow space.

It would be suitable to have a possibility to change the interior of some parts of the ship (project pictures on the walls; their colour change and the like). There's a study that there could be tapestries which don't release staples (they could be dangerous for apparatuses and also heath of the crew). They look cozier than projections and it's possible to touch them. It's also possible to use the AVS devices (so called "psychowalkmans") that were developed by NASA and today are free sold. With help of audiovisual stimulus (special glasses and headphones), they favourably influence mental condition and consequently also physical well-being.

The crew mustn't lose contact with the Earth and should get news at least few days a week. It should have a possibility to communicate not only with the control center, but also with their close people on the Earth. Even though long-distance communication or records could cause a homesick, it's better than frustration from impossibility to have a talk with them.

It would be also good, if the crew members had their own cabins - though little ones, which would be still better than narrow berths. In so crowded conditions such are on the spaceship, it's important to ensure at least minimum of privacy and a place where one can have his/her own personal things.

Nevertheless, it might happen that a crew member could suffer from some mental decease symptoms - most likely the depression. Thus, there should be anti-depressives and also medicaments to cure other "common" mental defects (schizophrenia etc.) available on board. The crew must be attentively chosen from physically and mentally very strong people (according to my meaning, unexceptionable mental condition is even more important than physical one). Only in this case the mission can be successful. Nevertheless, we can't avoid difficulties with utter certainty.

Plants and human health: For improving health of the crew, I suggest growing plants on the spaceship. The astronauts need at least minimum of fresh food and vitamins which are much better absorbed from natural food than from pills and instant tablets. Moreover, plants produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Their good psychological effect is also important. Their presence helps humans to relax and have a good mood.

Conclusion:

Weightlessness, radiation, long isolation, technical and personal collapses... that's only a short enumeration of potential problems that could prevent the success of the interplanetary expedition. Experts can't agree on the probability that the first human mission to Mars would be successful and return home. Their estimations rank between 75 to gloomy 4 percent, in line with quotations of the experts in book "Columbuses of The Space II: Duel for The Stations".

If humans fare forth to distant parts of our solar system, it's probable that they will base stable stations in the aim of their mission. These bases have to be totally self-sufficient and provide everything necessary for people. They will have their own mini-ecosystem, where the functions of apparatuses and living organisms will support each other.

And if the spaceships travel even out of the frontier of our solar system, the same will pay. Medicine and biology are already an integral part of space research and they will be increasingly more essential.

But that's another story...

Resources:

http://www.space.com/

http://iss.jaxa.jp/med/index_e.html#2.2.#2.2.

http://www.astrovm.cz/akadetail.php?id=782

http://www.ikoktejl.cz/

Kolumbové vesmíru II: Souboj o stanice (Karel Pacner, Paseka, 2007) - „Columbuses of The Space II: Duel for The Stations"