Life on the International Space Station (ISS) is rather hectic right now for the crew – ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, Russian Pavel Vinogradov and American Jeffrey Williams.
First, the Space Shuttle Atlantis arrived on 11 September. Next Monday (18th), the Station’s 14th long-term crew is scheduled to blast off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Seated alongside American Michael Lopez-Alegria and Russian Mikhail Tyurin will be Anousheh Ansari, the first female space tourist.
Although the Iranian-American businesswoman is paying for her eight-day stay on the Station, she will not be spending all of her time admiring the view. Instead, Ansari has agreed to be the test subject for four ESA experiments. The results of these studies will help scientists to understand how space travel affects the human body.
The first experiment is designed to study the effects of space radiation, which can damage body cells and may increase the risk of developing cancer. Ansari will provide blood samples before and after her flight.
These samples will also help scientists to understand why red blood cells are destroyed in conditions of weightlessness. This leads to a condition known as anaemia – also found in people with kidney failure.
Ansari will also investigate bacteria that are found on board the ISS. She will take samples from herself and from surfaces such as switches, keyboards and personal hygiene equipment.
Finally, she will investigate why astronauts often experience lower back pain. The results of her daily questionnaire will be compared with measurements taken before and after her flight.
