Astronauts Hitch First Ride Aboard Private Rocket to Space Station

On 30 May 2020,two National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)astronauts,Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley,made history as the first two people to travel to the International Space Station(ISS)aboard a private spacecraft(Fig.1).Nine weeks later,on 2 August 2020,the SpaceX(Hawthorne,CA,USA)built and operated Crew Dragon returned Behnken and Hurley back to Earth,safely completing the mission.

Commentary regarding “on-orbit sleep problems of astronauts and countermeasures”

This commentary addresses the article by Wu et al. entitled 'On-orbit sleep problems of astronauts and countermeasures'. In this article, the authors discussed the sleep problems of astronauts. Despite its challenging topic, the paper authored by Wu et al. has at least one major shortcoming. This issue is related to the observation that the sleep pattern of astronauts can be disturbed by light flash phenomenon. Since the first report by astronaut E.E. Aldrin in 1969, many astronauts have reported light flashes. These visually perceived flashes of light occurred in different shapes but they apparently moved across the visual field of astronauts and possibly caused, at least to some extent, sleep problems. Moreover, the countermeasures proposed by the authors may improve astronauts’ sleep pattern, but they do not address the root cause of the light flashes(i.e., heavy ion interactions outside the shielding provided by the Earth’s magnetosphere). A possible approach to reducing light flashes is available using the fact that much of the galactic cosmic radiation(GCR) spectrum is composed of ions that can be diverted from the spacecraft using electromagnetic fields. Possible design parameters and the requisite electric and magnetic field strengths to successfully deflect GCR radiation are outlined.

The 8th Young Astronauts International Conference Held in Beijing

The 8th Young Astronauts International Conference took place in Beijing from August 2 to August 5, 1995. Present at the Conference are some 800 delegates from 10 countries and areas, such as Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Korea, U. S. A. , Japan, Ukraine, China and Hongkong and Macao areas. The Young Astronauts International is an international organization engaged in popular space science education for

Solid Rocket Motors for Launch Escape Tower Provide Safety to Astronauts

Compared with other ordinary launch vehicles, the LM-2F launch vehicle has two special systems, the fault detection processing system and launch escape system, because it is used for manned spaceflight missions. During the 10 flight missions carried out by LM-2F, only the

ADDRESS TO THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 8th YOUNG ASTRONAUTS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

I’d like to take this opportunity,, on behalf of China National Space Administration and the host organization, the Chinese Society of Astronautics, to extend our best wishes to the opening of the Conference and warmly welcome all delegates here both from home and abroad. The Young Astronauts International is an international organization which devotes itself to the space popular science education among young people.

On-orbit sleep problems of astronauts and countermeasures

Sufficient sleep duration and good sleep quality are crucial to ensure normal physical and mental health, cognition and work performance for the common people, as well as astronauts. On-orbit sleep problem is very common among astronauts and has potential detrimental influences on the health of crewmembers and the safety of flight missions. Sleep in space is becoming a new medical research frontier. In this review we summarized on-orbit sleep problems of astronauts and six kinds of causes, and we presented the effects of lack of sleep on performance as well as mental and physical health, then we proposed seven kinds of countermeasures for sleep disturbance in spaceflight, including pharmacologic interventions, light treatment, crew selection and training, Traditional Chinese Medicine and so on. Furthermore, we discussed and oriented the prospect of researches on sleep in space.

Astronauts' Life

同学们一定对宇航员在太空的饮食起居感兴趣吧?本文从洗漱、三餐、娱乐、睡眠等方面来展现宇航员在太空的日常生活。Many people may wonder what the astronauts’life was like when working in space. In fact, they did many of the things as we do on Earth.

Chinese Astronauts Return from Successful Six-Month Space Station Mission

The three Chinese astronauts on the Shenzhou・13 spaceship completed their six・month space station mission and returned to Earth safely on April 16.With the successful completion of the mission,China completed verification of key technologies in its space station,and China set a record for Chinese astronauts'duration in orbit,the China Manned Space Agency(CMSA)said.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Shenzhou-14 Astronauts Return Safely Three Chinese astronauts on board the Shenzhou-14 manned spaceship returned to Earth safely on December 4,2022,after accomplishing many“firsts”during their six-month space station mission.

Analyzing Whether a Space Shuttle Can Withstand a Perpendicular Launch from Mars

In the near future, humans will go to Mars. During these interplanetary journeys, astronaut safety will be paramount. This study aims to determine whether the astronauts will be able to launch safely from Mars in a space shuttle taking off perpendicularly. This study used kinematics along with equations for calculating atmospheric density and total force on the spacecraft to evaluate these values for each atmospheric layer. Approximations were made for the spacecraft’s dimensions to find the cross-sectional front-view area of the spacecraft and the drag coefficient where verifiable data was unavailable. Although there is data for the dimensions of the spacecraft’s front view, there isn’t any on its area. The total force was found to be significantly lower than 3Gs which ensures a safe take-off for the astronauts and reduces manufacturing costs for assembling new rockets.

Picturing the Times

The return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship successfully lands at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 16,2022.Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth after a six-month orbital trip,China’s longest manned space mission so far.

Human Adipose Stem Cells Exposed to Gamma Radiation and Inactivity (Stasis) Show Increased Cancer Markers and DNA Damage. A Preliminary Assessment of a Pharmaceutical Formulation to Reverse These Effects and Its Applications for Medical Radiotherapy and the Space Industry

Gamma radiation exposure and physical inactivity occur in medical radiotherapy patients and astronauts resulting in substantial deterioration of their health. At the molecular level, the radiation triggers elevated markers for DNA double-strand breaks and tumorigenicity. Cell stasis is a potential phenomenon associated with low physical activity in recovering cancer patients and astronauts. This preliminary study assessed parameters of stasis and gamma radiation on human adipose stem cells (ADSCs) that have important regenerative functions for the body. A prototype pharmaceutical formulation (PF) was tested to prevent and reverse the effects of radiation and stasis. ADSCs were subjected to short-term (1 - 5 days) and longer-term (8 - 25 days) stasis and radiation with a combined total exposure of alpha, beta and gamma radiation measured at 455 microSv/hr on the Geiger counter. Cell health markers were grouped for characteristics of cellular health (annexin, H2A.X, NO, ROS) and tumorigenicity potential (P13, Ki67, MAPK) that were measured with flow cytometry. Results showed PF to improve cell health in days 1 - 5 compared to stasis (p = 0.01) and radiation (p = 0.02), and PF reduced tumorigenicity compared with stasis (p = 0.018) and radiation (p = 0.03). For longer exposure (8 - 25 days) PF improved cellular health compared with stasis (p = 0.038) and showed a non-significant trend for decreasing radiation effects (p = 0.07). There was decreased tumorigenicity compared with stasis (p = 0.003) and radiation (p = 0.005). This preliminary evaluation of the PF showed it to have 88% (66/75) positive assay results (p < 0.00001 Chi-square) indicating three promising beneficial effects: 1) prevent cell/DNA damage, 2) reduce cancer risk, and 3) recover damaged and precancerous stem cells. The PF could have important applications for medical radiotherapy patients, astronauts and future space mining personnel. PF reduced carcinogenesis and DNA damage of stem cells by approximately 50% from radiation that was the microSievert equivalent of 4 months on board the International Space Station.

Influence of Space Environments in System Physiologic and Molecular Integrity: Redefining the Concept of Human Health beyond the Boundary Conditions of Earth

Space travel since the 1960s has led to a number of physiological alterations to homeostasis in astronauts. Extensive variation in the pattern of responses observed has led a concerted effort to develop countermeasures to overcome such changes and restore homeostasis, and thus “health” is defined as more “Earth-like”. These adaptations to a space environment by a species which evolved and normally exists in the 1 g environment, the geomagnetic field, and background radiation of Earth are viewed as threats to health as defined by the conditions of Earth. Exposure to space can lead to alterations in genomic stability and epigenetic signatures, alterations which could redefine “health” and responses to risks for loss of health for those who will return to Earth. In contrast, in the future individuals born in non-Earth space environments will likely develop an integrated metabolic set point defined by those conditions. They will thus be shaped by both the local environments, and space-associated genomic/epigenomic alterations to their parents. Therefore, such an altered set point for those born and raised in non-Earth space environments will potentially have physiological and molecular consequences which may lead to either new evolutionary adaptation, or to compromise of long term health due to drastically altered set points for integrated physiologic function which is at odds with the evolutionary history of humans. The implications of the two options will be critical for defining “health” in altered environments encountered during space ventures, as well as providing insights into the regulation of human integrity at the physiological level. Therefore, the definition of “health” is dependent on the boundary conditions surrounding development and maturation, and is a dynamic concept.

Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics Information for Contributors

Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics&Astronautics (TNUAA) is a bimonthly journal facing international academic community. Emphasizing prompt and effective dissemination of key data and new scientific insights, TNUAA offers publication of new experimental and theoretical papers bearing on applications to all branches of aeronautics, astronautics and civil aviation.

Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics Information for Contributors

Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics&Astronautics;(TNUAA)is a bimonthly journal facing international academic community.Emphasizing prompt and effective dissemination of key data and new scientific insights,TNUAA offers publication of new experimental and theoretical papers bearing on applications to all branches of aeronautics,astronautics and civil aviation.

Brief Introduction of Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics

ＢｒｉｅｆＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎｏｆＴｒａｎｓａｃｔｉｏｎｓｏｆＮａｎｊｉｎｇＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙｏｆＡｅｒｏｎａｕｔｉｃｓ＆ＡｓｔｒｏｎａｕｔｉｃｓＴｒａｎｓａｃｔｉｏｎｓｏｆＮａｎｊｉｎｇＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙｏｆＡｅｒｏｎａｕｔｉｃｓ＆Ａｓｔｒ...

Welcome to Subscribe TNUAA

Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics&Astronautics(TNUAA,in English)is a comprehensive academicpublication which deals mainly with the research achievements in aeronautics,civil aviation,astronautics and their theoreti-cal basis.It is published by Nanjing University of Aeronautics&Astronautics,and has started its publication since Oct.1982.The original name of the journal is“Journal of Nanjing Aeronautical Institute”(English Edition).It was an annual.Since1993 it has been renamed TNUAA and is published semi-annually every June and December.The periodical numberis ISSN1005-1120.The rename transactions has been published since the second half of the year1993.The

Applications of Atomic and Molecular Theory to Calculations in Space Science and Engineering

A systematic elaboration is given on atomic and molecular theory problems encountered in dealing with space science and engineering. Three sections are presented in the paper on calculations for gas thermodynamic and transfer properties, characteristics of the optical radiation from the reentry' bodies, and the interaction between surfaces of man-made satellites and incident particles. Researches on them are much related to the fundamental problems regarding the atomic and molecular theory.

Analysis of Human Reliability Model in Manned Vehicle

A typical man-machine-environment system is composed of astronaut, vehicle and space environment in the course of manned spaceflight. In this paper, the important role played by man and the factors on his capability in vehicle system have been described, and a stress-strength human reliability model is also put forward. In the end, it must be systematically considered to raise the astronaut's reliability.

TRANSACTIONS OF NANJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS & ASTRONAUTICS

Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics (ISSN 1005-1120) is a comprehensive academic publication focusing on the research achievements in aeronautics, civil aviation, astronautics and their theoretical basis. It mainly publishes the papers on advancements in science and technology researches, and significant achievements in