Excercise in near-0g....

Hey all...

I just finished reading Space.Com's article (see link) about exercise. This will be a major issue as we "go where no man has gone before" so to speak. Sure, astronauts have the equivalence of osteoporosis by the time they return to earth now, and the study is geared toward reducing these effects on them, but what will this mean to the planet-dwellers like the present day you and me. My grandfather has lost height, not nearly as bad as grandma did, from age and bone degeneration. Perhaps their studies into exercise, diet, and medications should also be reviewed here on earth (not that we follow their recommendations down here at this time). Just think, the next great "Get In Shape Now" trend may be the NASA-routine. Have fun balancing your aerobic and resistance training!

... delays in updates ...

First off, I apologize for the infrequency...

On to business, with my current work schedule, and trying to write three more unpublished novels, I've had little time to pay attention to space news. However, Props are due to NASA latest shuttle crew for a job well done... and if I recall aright... going above and beyond the original mission specs. Back later.

Three lofty NASA goals....

I was perusing the NASA budget and saw these three outstanding indicators of the space industry

NASA Goals:

• Completing the Space Station
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retiring the Space Shuttle in 2010

• transition from the Space Shuttle to the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and Ares launch vehicles

It's not until page 5 that you get to the actual numbers. Here you can see that Astrophysics and Heliophysics are both getting pay cuts on this year's budget according to the 2008 report (if the date is to be believed). Science overall takes a budget cut on that version of the document while exploration and operations goes up. With satellites colliding in orbit and falling like so many meteors to earth, this seems like a mistake... I am still looking for a 2009 dated file. The only thing that looks like it gets continuously an increase in funding, to me at any rate, is the agency's legal team and maintenance programs.

Nasa Cooking Expedition....

Can you cook without gravity

This is a slightly amusing thought.... if you cook in space, does boiling water return to the pot?

The answer is: No... it just expand because of the low gravity -- it's measured on a scale so small you can almost call it zero. Apparently cooking requires: duct tape, foil, and plastic bags. If you read the article, you'll get a lot of laughs about the technical challenges of cooking in almost no gravity. Please, don't take for granted the fact that your spinning earth provides enough gravity and force to hold your food down the next time you through the trash out or boil the water.

We now join the show already in progress....

Before I write anything in this post, let me thank the few people who've read my works for doing so and apologize for the delay in returning to this blog.

Can humanity live in space?

Habitability & Enviromental Factors

This division in setup in 2 branches: Environment and Habitat. The link for them has very vague and sketchy information. Here is what I think they should be looking at:

• Radiation: how to deal with solar and cosmic radiation, how to treat it, and what 40-50 year exposure will do.


• Food supplies: Can it be grown in space, can it be considered safe, does it require the special conditions of terrestrial soil or can a hydroponics farm really work.


• SAD syndrome. This occurs on the extreme latitudes and causes massive depression from a lack of sunlight. If I send someone to Mars and the Alaskan twilight that is likely to be the best they get, will I need to send a chemist, a lab, and 10 tons of antidepressants?
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• Liquids and biological agents. Pure water is useless after a while. We all drink in bacteria and viruses that are both helpful and harmful to life, but when we move out of the terra-sphere we know, the biosphere we've always lived in, will we find liquids and biological agents that enable us to maintain life, or will we be forever shipping out new supplies and shipping back depleted ones because of the aformentioned factors?

I hesitate to consider more as I will likely hit a nerve with them or try to put too much onto their plate. After all, NASA is comprised of many divisions and hordes outside contracts as much as congress will allow in an effort to enable us to continue exploring as nature (or, if you agree with me, God) designed.

For more possibilities, see NASA and the ESA (European Space Agency) for what they are working on and what their visions are. Perhaps I will remember to review the civillian sector space race again next Saturday. Signing out for this week, I want you to keep your head in the sky and your feet on the ground, unless you're an astronaut.

Ugana,