A message on the role of biology in space. Presentation on the topic "The role of biology in space research"

The science of biology includes a lot of different sections, large and small subsidiaries. And each of them is important not only in human life, but also for the entire planet as a whole.

For the second century in a row, people have been trying to study not only the terrestrial diversity of life in all its manifestations, but also to find out if there is life outside the planet, in outer space. These issues are dealt with by a special science - space biology. It will be discussed in our review.

Chapter

This science is relatively young, but very intensively developing. The main aspects of the study are:

1. Factors of outer space and their influence on the organisms of living beings, the vital activity of all living systems in space or aircraft.
2. The development of life on our planet with the participation of space, the evolution of living systems and the likelihood of the existence of biomass outside our planet.
3. Possibilities of building closed systems and creating real living conditions in them for comfortable development and growth of organisms in outer space.

Space medicine and biology are closely related sciences that jointly study the physiological state of living beings in space, their prevalence in interplanetary spaces and evolution.

Thanks to the research of these sciences, it became possible to select the optimal conditions for finding people in space, and without causing any harm to health. Huge material has been collected on the presence of life in space, the ability of plants and animals (single-celled, multicellular) to live and develop in weightlessness.

History of the development of science

The roots of space biology go back to ancient times, when philosophers and thinkers - naturalists Aristotle, Heraclitus, Plato and others - watched the starry sky, trying to identify the relationship of the Moon and Sun with the Earth, to understand the reasons for their influence on agricultural land and animals.

Later, in the Middle Ages, attempts began to determine the shape of the Earth and explain its rotation. For a long time, there was a theory created by Ptolemy. She talked about the fact that the Earth is and all the other planets and celestial bodies move around it

However, another scientist, the Pole Nicolaus Copernicus, was found, who proved the fallacy of these statements and proposed his own, heliocentric system of the structure of the world: in the center is the Sun, and all the planets move around. The Sun is also a star. His views were supported by the followers of Giordano Bruno, Newton, Kepler, Galileo.

However, space biology as a science appeared much later. Only in the 20th century, the Russian scientist Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky developed a system that allows people to penetrate into the depths of space and slowly study them. He is rightfully considered the father of this science. Also, discoveries in physics and astrophysics, quantum chemistry and mechanics by Einstein, Bohr, Planck, Landau, Fermi, Kapitsa, Bogolyubov and others played a big role in the development of cosmobiology.

New scientific research, which allowed people to make long-planned flights into space, made it possible to highlight specific medical and biological justifications for the safety and impact of extraterrestrial conditions that Tsiolkovsky formulated. What was their point?

1. Scientists were given a theoretical justification for the effect of weightlessness on mammalian organisms.
2. He modeled several options for creating space conditions in the laboratory.
3. He proposed options for obtaining food and water by astronauts with the help of plants and the circulation of substances.

Thus, it was Tsiolkovsky who laid down all the basic postulates of astronautics, which have not lost their relevance today.

Weightlessness

Modern biological research in the field of studying the influence of dynamic factors on the human body in space conditions allows astronauts to be rid of the negative influence of these same factors to the maximum.

There are three main dynamic characteristics:

• vibration;
• acceleration;
• weightlessness.

Weightlessness is the most unusual and important in terms of its effect on the human body. This is a state in which the force of gravity disappears and it is not replaced by other inertial influences. In this case, a person completely loses the ability to control the position of the body in space. Such a state begins already in the lower layers of the cosmos and persists throughout its entire space.

Medical and biological studies have shown that the following changes occur in the human body in a state of weightlessness:

1. The heartbeat quickens.
2. Muscles relax (tonus goes away).
3. Decreased performance.
4. Spatial hallucinations are possible.

A person in weightlessness is able to stay up to 86 days without harm to health. This has been proven empirically and confirmed from a medical point of view. However, one of the tasks of space biology and medicine today is the development of a set of measures to prevent the effect of weightlessness on the human body in general, eliminate fatigue, increase and consolidate normal performance.

There are a number of conditions that astronauts observe in order to overcome weightlessness and maintain control over the body:

In order to achieve good results in overcoming weightlessness, astronauts undergo thorough training on Earth. But, unfortunately, so far modern ones do not allow creating such conditions in the laboratory. On our planet, it is not possible to overcome the force of gravity. It is also one of the future challenges for space and medical biology.

G-forces in space (accelerations)

Another important factor affecting the human body in space is acceleration, or overload. The essence of these factors is reduced to an uneven redistribution of the load on the body during strong high-speed movements in space. There are two main types of acceleration:

• short-term;
• long.

As biomedical studies show, both accelerations are very important in influencing the physiological state of the cosmonaut's body.

So, for example, under the action of short-term accelerations (they last less than 1 second), irreversible changes can occur in the body at the molecular level. Also, if the organs are not trained, weak enough, there is a risk of rupture of their membranes. Such influences can be carried out during the separation of the capsule with the astronaut in space, during his ejection, or during the landing of the spacecraft in orbits.

Therefore, it is very important that astronauts undergo a thorough medical examination and certain physical training before flying into space.

Long-acting acceleration occurs during the launch and landing of a rocket, as well as during flight in some spatial places in space. The effect of such accelerations on the body, according to the data provided by scientific medical research, is as follows:

• increased heart rate and pulse;
• breathing quickens;
• there is the occurrence of nausea and weakness, pallor of the skin;
• vision suffers, a red or black film appears before the eyes;
• possible sensation of pain in the joints, limbs;
• muscle tone decreases;
• neurohumoral regulation changes;
• gas exchange in the lungs and in the body as a whole becomes different;
• sweating may occur.

G-loads and weightlessness force medical scientists to come up with various methods. allowing to adapt, train astronauts so that they can withstand the action of these factors without consequences for health and without loss of efficiency.

One of the most effective ways to train astronauts to accelerate is the centrifuge apparatus. It is in it that you can observe all the changes that occur in the body under the action of overloads. It also allows you to train and adapt to the influence of this factor.

Space flight and medicine

Space flights certainly have a very big impact on the health of people, especially those who are untrained or have chronic diseases. Therefore, an important aspect is the medical research of all the subtleties of flight, all the reactions of the body to the most diverse and incredible effects of extraterrestrial forces.

Flight in weightlessness forces modern medicine and biology to invent and formulate (at the same time to implement, of course) a set of measures to provide the astronauts with normal nutrition, rest, oxygen supply, maintaining working capacity, and so on.

In addition, medicine is designed to provide cosmonauts with worthy assistance in case of unforeseen, emergency situations, as well as protection from the effects of unknown forces of other planets and spaces. It is quite difficult, it requires a lot of time and effort, a large theoretical base, the use of only the latest modern equipment and preparations.

In addition, medicine, along with physics and biology, has the task of protecting astronauts from the physical factors of space conditions, such as:

• temperature;
• radiation;
• pressure;
• meteorites.

Therefore, the study of all these factors and features is very important.

in biology

Space biology, like any other biological science, has a certain set of methods that allow conducting research, accumulating theoretical material and confirming it with practical conclusions. These methods do not remain unchanged over time, they are updated and modernized in accordance with the current time. However, the historically established methods of biology still remain relevant to this day. These include:

1. observation.
2. Experiment.
3. Historical analysis.
4. Description.
5. Comparison.

These methods of biological research are basic, relevant at any time. But there are a number of others that have arisen with the development of science and technology, electronic physics and molecular biology. They are called modern and play the greatest role in the study of all biological-chemical, medical and physiological processes.

Modern methods

1. Methods of genetic engineering and bioinformatics. This includes agrobacterial and ballistic transformation, PCR (polymerase chain reactions). The role of biological research of this kind is great, since it is they that make it possible to find options for solving the problem of nutrition and oxygen saturation and cabins for the comfortable condition of astronauts.
2. Methods of protein chemistry and histochemistry. They allow to control proteins and enzymes in living systems.
3. Use of fluorescence microscopy, superresolution microscopy.
4. Uses of molecular biology and biochemistry and their research methods.
5. Biotelemetry- a method that is the result of a combination of work of engineers and physicians on a biological basis. It allows you to control all the physiologically important functions of the body at a distance using radio communication channels of the human body and a computer recorder. Space biology uses this method as the main method for tracking the effects of space conditions on astronauts' organisms.
6. Biological indication of interplanetary space. A very important method of space biology, which makes it possible to assess the interplanetary states of the environment, to obtain information about the characteristics of different planets. The basis here is the use of animals with built-in sensors. It is experimental animals (mice, dogs, monkeys) that extract information from orbits, which is used by terrestrial scientists for analysis and conclusions.

Modern methods of biological research allow solving advanced problems not only of space biology, but also universal ones.

Problems of space biology

All the above methods of biomedical research, unfortunately, have not yet been able to solve all the problems of space biology. There are a number of topical issues that remain urgent to this day. Let us consider the main problems that space medicine and biology face.

1. Selection of trained personnel for space flight, whose health condition could meet all the requirements of doctors (including allowing cosmonauts to endure rigorous training and training for flights).
2. Decent level of training and supply of all necessary for working space crews.
3. Ensuring safety in all respects (including from unknown or alien factors of influence from other planets) to working ships and aircraft structures.
4. Psychophysiological rehabilitation of astronauts during their return to Earth.
5. Development of ways to protect astronauts and from
6. Ensuring normal living conditions in the cabins during space flights.
7. Development and application of modernized computer technologies in space medicine.
8. Implementation of space telemedicine and biotechnology. Using the methods of these sciences.
9. Solving medical and biological problems for comfortable flights of astronauts to Mars and other planets.
10. Synthesis of pharmacological agents that will solve the problem of oxygen supply in space.

Developed, improved and complex in application methods of biomedical research will certainly allow solving all the tasks and existing problems. However, when this will be is a complex and rather unpredictable question.

It should be noted that not only Russian scientists, but also the Academic Council of all countries of the world are dealing with all these issues. And this is a big plus. After all, joint research and searches will give a disproportionately greater and faster positive result. Close global cooperation in solving space problems is the key to success in the exploration of extraterrestrial space.

Modern achievements

There are many such achievements. After all, intensive work is carried out every day, thorough and painstaking, which allows you to find more and more new materials, draw conclusions and formulate hypotheses.

One of the most important discoveries of the 21st century in cosmology was the discovery of water on Mars. This immediately gave rise to dozens of hypotheses about the presence or absence of life on the planet, about the possibility of resettlement of earthlings to Mars, and so on.

Another discovery was that scientists have determined the age limits within which a person can be in space as comfortably as possible and without serious consequences. This age starts from 45 years and ends at about 55-60 years. Young people going into space suffer extremely psychologically and physiologically after returning to Earth, they are hard to adapt and rebuild.

Water was also discovered on the Moon (2009). Mercury and a large amount of silver were also found on the Earth's satellite.

The methods of biological research, as well as engineering and physical indicators, make it possible to conclude with confidence about the harmlessness (at least, no more harmful than on Earth) of the effects of ion radiation and exposure in space.

Scientific research has proven that a long stay in space does not affect the physical health of astronauts. However, psychological problems remain.

Studies have been conducted proving that higher plants react differently to being in space. Seeds of some plants in the study did not show any genetic changes. Others, on the contrary, showed obvious deformations at the molecular level.

Experiments carried out on cells and tissues of living organisms (mammals) proved that space does not affect the normal state and functioning of these organs.

Various types of medical studies (tomography, MRI, blood and urine tests, cardiogram, computed tomography, and so on) led to the conclusion that the physiological, biochemical, morphological characteristics of human cells remain unchanged when staying in space for up to 86 days.

Under laboratory conditions, an artificial system was recreated, which makes it possible to get as close as possible to the state of weightlessness and thus study all aspects of the influence of this state on the body. This, in turn, made it possible to develop a number of preventive measures to prevent the impact of this factor during human flight in zero gravity.

The results of exobiology have become data indicating the presence of organic systems outside the Earth's biosphere. So far, only the theoretical formulation of these assumptions has become possible, but soon scientists plan to obtain practical evidence.

Thanks to the research of biologists, physicists, physicians, ecologists and chemists, deep mechanisms of human impact on the biosphere were revealed. To achieve this, it became possible by creating artificial ecosystems off the planet and exerting the same influence on them as on Earth.

These are not all the achievements of space biology, cosmology and medicine today, but only the main ones. There is a great potential, the realization of which is the task of the listed sciences for the future.

Life in space

According to modern ideas, life in space can exist, since recent discoveries confirm the presence on some planets of suitable conditions for the emergence and development of life. However, the opinions of scientists on this issue are divided into two categories:

• there is no life anywhere but the Earth, never was and never will be;
• there is life in the vast expanses of outer space, but people have not yet discovered it.

Which of the hypotheses is correct is up to each individual to decide. There is enough evidence and refutation for both one and the other.

GOU Lyceum No. 000

Kalininsky district of St. Petersburg

Research

Biomedical research in space

Gurshev Oleg

Head: biology teacher

St. Petersburg, 2011

Introduction 2

The beginning of biomedical research in the middle of the 20th century. 3

The impact of space flight on the human body. 6

Exobiology. 10

Prospects for the development of research. fourteen

List of used sources. 17

Application (presentation, experiments) 18

Introduction

Space biology and medicine- a complex science that studies the features of the life of a person and other organisms in a space flight. The main task of research in the field of space biology and medicine is the development of means and methods for life support, maintaining the health and performance of crew members of spacecraft and stations during flights of various durations and degrees of complexity. Space biology and medicine is inextricably linked with astronautics, astronomy, astrophysics, geophysics, biology, aviation medicine, and many other sciences.

The relevance of the topic is quite large in our modern and fast-paced XXI century.

The topic “Medical and biological research” has been of interest to me for the last two years, since I decided on my choice of profession, so I decided to do research work on this topic.

2011 is an anniversary year - 50 years since the first human flight into space.

Beginning of Biomedical Research in the middleXXcentury

The following milestones are considered the starting points in the development of space biology and medicine: 1949 - for the first time, the possibility of conducting biological research during rocket flights appeared; 1957 - for the first time a living creature (the dog Laika) was sent to a near-Earth orbital flight on the second artificial Earth satellite; 1961 - the first manned flight into space, perfect. In order to scientifically substantiate the possibility of a medically safe flight of a person into space, the tolerance of the impacts characteristic of the launch, orbital flight, descent and landing of spacecraft (SCV) on Earth was studied, and the operation of biotelemetric equipment and life support systems for astronauts was tested. The main attention was paid to studying the effect of weightlessness and cosmic radiation on the body.

Laika (dog astronaut) 1957

R The results obtained in the course of biological experiments on rockets, the second artificial satellite (1957), rotated spacecraft-satellites (1960-1961), in combination with data from ground-based clinical, physiological, psychological, hygienic and other studies, actually opened the way man into space. In addition, biological experiments in space at the stage of preparation for the first human space flight made it possible to identify a number of functional changes that occur in the body under the influence of flight factors, which was the basis for planning subsequent experiments on animal and plant organisms during flights of manned spacecraft, orbital stations and biosatellites. . The world's first biological satellite with an experimental animal - the dog "Laika". Launched into orbit on 11/03/1957 and stayed there for 5 months. The satellite existed in orbit until April 14, 1958. The satellite had two radio transmitters, a telemetry system, a programming device, scientific instruments for studying solar radiation and cosmic rays, regeneration and thermal control systems to maintain conditions in the cabin necessary for the existence of the animal. The first scientific information about the state of a living organism under conditions of space flight has been obtained.

Achievements in the field of space biology and medicine largely predetermined success in the development of manned astronautics. Along with flight , committed on April 12, 1961, it should be noted such epoch-making events in the history of astronautics as the landing of astronauts on July 21, 1969 Armstrong(N. Armstrong) and Aldrin(E. Aldrin) to the surface of the Moon and multi-month (up to a year) crew flights on the Salyut and Mir orbital stations. This became possible thanks to the development of the theoretical foundations of space biology and medicine, the methodology for conducting medical and biological research in space flights, the justification and implementation of methods for the selection and pre-flight training of astronauts, as well as the development of life support, medical control, maintaining the health and working capacity of crew members in flight.

Apollo 11 team (left to right): Neil. A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, Commander Edwin (Buzz) E. Aldrin.

The impact of space flight on the human body

In space flight, the human body is affected by a complex of factors related to flight dynamics (acceleration, vibration, noise, weightlessness), stay in a sealed room of a limited volume (altered gas environment, hypokinesia, neuro-emotional stress, etc.), as well as factors of outer space as a habitat (cosmic radiation, ultraviolet radiation, etc.).

At the beginning and end of a space flight, the body is affected by linear accelerations . Their magnitudes, rise gradient, time and direction of action during the period of launching and insertion of the spacecraft into near-Earth orbit depend on the characteristics of the rocket and space complex, and during the period of return to Earth - on the ballistic characteristics of the flight and the type of spacecraft. Performing maneuvers in orbit is also accompanied by the impact of accelerations on the body, however, their magnitudes during flights of modern spacecraft are insignificant.

Launch of the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome

Basic information about the effect of accelerations on the human body and ways to protect against their adverse effects were obtained during research in the field of aviation medicine, space biology and medicine only supplemented this information. It was found that staying in weightlessness, especially for a long time, leads to a decrease in the body's resistance to the action of accelerations. In this regard, a few days before the descent from orbit, the cosmonauts switch to a special regime of physical training, and immediately before the descent they receive water-salt supplements to increase the degree of hydration of the body and the volume of circulating blood. Special chairs have been developed - lodgments and anti-g suits, which provide an increase in the tolerance of accelerations during the return of astronauts to Earth.

Among all factors of space flight, weightlessness is constant and practically unreproducible under laboratory conditions. Its influence on the body is diverse. There are both non-specific adaptive reactions characteristic of chronic stress, and a variety of specific changes caused by a violation of the interaction of the sensory systems of the body, the redistribution of blood in the upper half of the body, a decrease in dynamic and almost complete removal of static loads on the musculoskeletal system.

ISS summer 2008

Examinations of cosmonauts and numerous experiments on animals during the flights of the Kosmos biosatellites made it possible to establish that the leading role in the occurrence of specific reactions combined in the symptom complex of the space form of motion sickness (sickness) belongs to the vestibular apparatus. This is due to an increase in the excitability of otolith and semicircular canal receptors under weightless conditions and a disruption in the interaction of the vestibular analyzer and other sensory systems of the body. Under conditions of weightlessness, humans and animals show signs of detraining of the cardiovascular system, an increase in blood volume in the vessels of the chest, congestion in the liver and kidneys, changes in cerebral circulation, and a decrease in plasma volume. Due to the fact that under conditions of weightlessness the secretion of antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone and the functional state of the kidneys change, hypohydration of the body develops. At the same time, the content of extracellular fluid decreases and the excretion of calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen, sodium, potassium and magnesium salts from the body increases. Changes in the musculoskeletal system occur mainly in those departments that, under normal conditions of life on Earth, carry the greatest static load, that is, the muscles of the back and lower extremities, in the bones of the lower extremities and vertebrae. There is a decrease in their functionality, a slowdown in the rate of periosteal bone formation, osteoporosis of the spongy substance, decalcification and other changes that lead to a decrease in the mechanical strength of the bones.

In the initial period of adaptation to weightlessness (takes on average about 7 days), approximately every second cosmonaut experiences dizziness, nausea, movement incoordination, impaired perception of body position in space, a feeling of a rush of blood to the head, difficulty in nasal breathing, and worsening of appetite. In some cases, this leads to a decrease in overall performance, which makes it difficult to perform professional duties. Already at the initial stage of the flight, initial signs of changes in the muscles and bones of the limbs appear.

As the duration of stay in weightlessness increases, many unpleasant sensations disappear or smooth out. At the same time, practically in all astronauts, if proper measures are not taken, changes in the state of the cardiovascular system, metabolism, muscle and bone tissue progress. To prevent adverse shifts, a wide range of preventive measures and means is used: a vacuum tank, a bicycle ergometer, a treadmill, training load suits, an electromyostimulator, training expanders, taking salt supplements, etc. This allows maintaining good health and a high level of efficiency of crew members in long-term space flights.

An inevitable concomitant factor of any space flight is hypokinesia - restriction of motor activity, which, despite intense physical training during the flight, leads to general detraining and asthenia of the body under weightless conditions. Numerous studies have shown that prolonged hypokinesia, created by staying in bed with the head end tilted (-6°), has almost the same effect on the human body as prolonged weightlessness. This method of modeling some physiological effects of weightlessness in laboratory conditions was widely used in the USSR and the USA. The maximum duration of such a model experiment, conducted at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Ministry of Health of the USSR, was one year.

A specific problem is the study of the effects of cosmic radiation on the body. Dosimetric and radiobiological experiments made it possible to create and put into practice a system for ensuring the radiation safety of space flights, which includes means of dosimetric control and local protection, radioprotective preparations (radioprotectors).

Orbital station "MIR"

The tasks of space biology and medicine include the study of biological principles and methods for creating an artificial habitat on spacecraft and stations. For this, living organisms are selected that are promising for inclusion as links in a closed ecological system, the productivity and stability of populations of these organisms are studied, experimental unified systems of living and non-living components - biogeocenoses are modeled, their functional characteristics and possibilities of practical use in space flights are determined.

Such a direction of space biology and medicine as exobiology, which studies the presence, distribution, features and evolution of living matter in the Universe, is also successfully developing. On the basis of ground-based model experiments and studies in space, data were obtained indicating the theoretical possibility of the existence of organic matter outside the biosphere. A program is also being carried out to search for extraterrestrial civilizations by registering and analyzing radio signals coming from space.

Soyuz TMA-6

Exobiology

One of the areas of space biology; is engaged in the search for living matter and organic substances in space and on other planets. The main goal of exobiology is to obtain direct or indirect data on the existence of life in space. The basis for this is the finds of precursors of complex organic molecules (hydrocyanic acid, formaldehyde, etc.), which were detected in outer space by spectroscopic methods (up to 20 organic compounds were found in total). Methods of exobiology are different and are designed not only to detect alien manifestations of life, but also to obtain some characteristics of possible extraterrestrial organisms. To suggest the existence of life in extraterrestrial conditions, for example, on other planets of the solar system, it is important to find out the ability of organisms to survive under experimental reproduction of these conditions. Many microorganisms can exist at temperatures close to absolute zero and high (up to 80-95 °C) temperatures; their spores withstand deep vacuum and long drying times. They carry much higher doses of ionizing radiation than in outer space. Extraterrestrial organisms should probably have a higher adaptability to life in an environment containing a small amount of water. Anaerobic conditions do not serve as an obstacle to the development of life, therefore, theoretically, one can assume the existence in space of the most diverse microorganisms in terms of their properties, which could adapt to unusual conditions by developing various protective devices. The experiments carried out in the USSR and the USA did not give evidence of the existence of life on Mars, there is no life on Venus and Mercury, it is also unlikely on the giant planets, as well as their satellites. In the solar system, life is probably only on Earth. According to some ideas, life outside the Earth is possible only on a water-carbon basis, which is characteristic of our planet. Another point of view does not exclude the silicon-ammonia base, however, mankind does not yet possess methods for detecting extraterrestrial life forms.

"Viking"

Viking program

Viking Program- NASA's space program to study Mars, in particular, for the presence of life on this planet. The program included the launch of two identical spacecraft - "Viking-1" and "Viking-2", which were supposed to conduct research in orbit and on the surface of Mars. The Viking program was the culmination of a series of missions to explore Mars that began in 1964 with Mariner 4, followed by Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 in 1969, and the Mariner 9 orbital missions in 1971 and 1972 The Vikings took their place in the history of the exploration of Mars as the first American spacecraft to land safely on the surface. It was one of the most informative and successful missions to the red planet, although it failed to detect life on Mars.

Both vehicles were launched in 1975 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Before the flight, the landers were carefully sterilized to prevent contamination of Mars by terrestrial life forms. The flight time took a little less than a year and they arrived at Mars in 1976. The duration of the Viking missions was planned to be 90 days after landing, but each device worked much more than this period. The Viking-1 orbiter operated until August 7, 1980, the descent vehicle - until November 11, 1982. The Viking-2 orbiter operated until July 25, 1978, the descent vehicle - until April 11, 1980.

Snow-covered desert on Mars. Snapshot of Viking-2

BION program

BION program includes complex research on animal and plant organisms in flights of specialized satellites (bio-satellites) in the interests of space biology, medicine and biotechnology. From 1973 to 1996, 11 biosatellites were launched into space.

Leading scientific institution: State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation - Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow)
Design department: SNP RCC "TsSKB-Progress" (Samara)
Flight duration: from 5 to 22.5 days.
Launch location: Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Landing area: Kazakhstan
Participating countries: USSR, Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Canada, China, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, USA, France, Czechoslovakia

Studies on rats and monkeys in biosatellite flights have shown that exposure to weightlessness leads to significant but reversible functional, structural and metabolic changes in the muscles, bones, myocardium and neurosensory system of mammals. The phenomenology is described and the mechanism of development of these changes is studied.

For the first time in the flights of biosatellites "BION" the idea of ​​creating an artificial gravity force (IGF) was put into practice. In experiments on rats, it was found that IST, created by the rotation of animals in a centrifuge, prevents the development of adverse changes in muscles, bones, and myocardium.

Within the framework of the Federal Space Program of Russia for the period 2006-2015. in the "Space tools for fundamental space research" section, the continuation of the BION program is planned, the launches of the BION-M spacecraft are scheduled for 2010, 2013 and 2016.

"BION"

Prospects for the development of research

The current stage of exploration and study of outer space is characterized by a gradual transition from long-term orbital flights to interplanetary flights, the closest of which is seen expedition to Mars. In this case, the situation changes radically. It changes not only objectively, which is associated with a significant increase in the duration of stay in space, landing on another planet and returning to Earth, but also, which is very important, subjectively, since, having left the Earth orbit that has already become habitual, astronauts will remain (in a very small time). the size of a group of their colleagues) "lonely" in the vast expanses of the universe.

At the same time, fundamentally new problems arise associated with a sharp increase in the intensity of cosmic radiation, the need to use renewable sources of oxygen, water and food, and most importantly, the solution of psychological and medical problems.

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The difficulty of controlling such a system in a limited hermetically closed volume is so great that one cannot hope for its early introduction into practice. In all likelihood, the transition to a biological life support system will occur gradually as its individual links are ready. At the first stage of the development of the BSZhO, it is obvious that the physicochemical method of obtaining oxygen and utilizing carbon dioxide will be replaced by a biological one. As you know, the main "suppliers" of oxygen are higher plants and photosynthetic unicellular organisms. A more difficult task is to replenish water and food supplies.

Drinking water will obviously still be of “terrestrial origin” for a very long time, and technical water (used for household needs) is already being replenished through the regeneration of atmospheric moisture condensate (CDA), urine and other sources.

Undoubtedly, the main component of the future closed ecological system is plants. Studies on higher plants and photosynthetic unicellular organisms aboard spacecraft have shown that under space flight conditions, plants go through all stages of development, from seed germination to the formation of primary organs, flowering, fertilization and maturation of a new generation of seeds. Thus, the fundamental possibility of realizing the full cycle of plant development (from seed to seed) under microgravity conditions was experimentally proven. The results of space experiments were so encouraging that already in the early 1980s they made it possible to conclude that the development of biological life support systems and the creation on this basis of an ecologically closed system in a limited hermetic volume is not such a difficult task. However, over time, it became obvious that the problem cannot be solved completely, at least until the main parameters are determined (calculated or experimentally) that make it possible to balance the mass and energy flows of this system.

To renew food supplies, it is also necessary to introduce animals into the system. Of course, at the first stages, these should be "small-sized" representatives of the animal world - mollusks, fish, birds, and later, perhaps rabbits and other mammals.

Thus, during interplanetary flights, astronauts need not only to learn how to grow plants, keep animals and cultivate microorganisms, but also develop a reliable way to control the “space ark”. And for this, you first need to find out how a single organism grows and develops in a space flight, and then what requirements each individual element of a closed ecological system imposes on the community.

My main task in research work was to find out how interesting and exciting space exploration has been and how long it still has to go!

If you only imagine what a variety of all life is on our planet, then what can be assumed then about the cosmos ...

The universe is so big and unknown that this kind of research is vital for us who live on planet Earth. But we are only at the very beginning of the journey and we have so much to know and see!

During the whole time when I was doing this work, I learned so many interesting things that I never suspected, I learned about excellent researchers like Carl Sagan, I learned about the most interesting space programs conducted in the 20th century, both in the USA and in the USSR, I learned a lot about modern programs like BION, and a lot of other things.

Research continues...

List of sources used

Big Children's Encyclopedia Universe: Popular science edition. - Russian Encyclopedic Association, 1999. Site http://spacembi. *****/ Big Encyclopedia Universe. - M.: Publishing house "Astrel", 1999.

4. Encyclopedia Universe (“ROSMEN”)

5. Wikipedia site (pictures)

6.Space at the turn of the millennium. Documents and materials. M., International relations (2000)

Appendix.

"Mars Transfer"

"Mars transfer" Development of one of the links of the future biological and technical life support system for astronauts.

Target: Obtaining new data on the processes of gas-liquid supply in root-inhabited media during space flight

Tasks: Experimental determination of the coefficients of capillary diffusion of moisture and gases

Expected results: Creation of an installation with a rooted environment for growing plants in relation to microgravity conditions

· Set "Experimental cuvette" for determining the characteristics of moisture transfer (velocity of the impregnation front and moisture content in separate zones)

Video complex LIV for video recording of the movement of the impregnation front

Target: The use of new computer technologies to improve the comfort of an astronaut's stay during a long-term space flight.

Tasks: Activation of specific areas of the brain responsible for the astronaut's visual associations associated with his native places and family on Earth with a further increase in his performance. Analysis of the state of the astronaut in orbit by testing according to special methods.

Used scientific equipment:

Block EGE2 (individual astronaut hard disk with photo album and questionnaire)

"vest" Obtaining data to develop measures to prevent the adverse effects of flight conditions on the health and performance of the ISS crew.

Target: Evaluation of a new integrated clothing system of various types of materials for use in space flight conditions.

Tasks:

wearing clothes "VEST", specially designed for the flight of the Italian cosmonaut R. Vittori on the ISS RS; obtaining feedback from the cosmonaut regarding the psychological and physiological well-being, that is, the comfort (convenience), wearability of clothing; her aesthetics; the effectiveness of heat resistance and physical hygiene on board the station.

Expected results: Confirmation of the functionality of the new integrated clothing system "VEST", including its ergonomic performance in space flight, which will reduce the weight and volume of clothing planned for use in long-term space flights to the ISS.

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Experiments on the Soviet biosatellite Kosmos-110 with two dogs on board and on the American biosatellite Bios-3 with a monkey on board were important for the further development of the ecophysiological line of research. During the 22-day flight, the dogs were for the first time subjected not only to the influence of inevitably inherent factors, but also to a number of special effects (irritation of the sinus nerve by electric current, clamping of the carotid arteries, etc.), aimed at elucidating the features of the nervous regulation of blood circulation under weightless conditions. Animal blood pressure was recorded directly. During the flight of the monkey on the Bios-3 biosatellite, which lasted 8.5 days, serious changes were found in the cycles of sleep and wakefulness (fragmentation of states of consciousness, rapid transitions from sleepiness to wakefulness, a noticeable reduction in sleep phases associated with dreams and deep drowsiness) , as well as a violation of the daily rhythm of some physiological processes. The death of the animal, which followed shortly after the early end of the flight, was, according to a number of experts, due to the influence of weightlessness, which led to the redistribution of blood in the body, loss of fluid and impaired potassium and sodium metabolism.

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Research in space biology made it possible to develop a number of protective measures and prepared the possibility of a safe flight into space for a person, which was carried out by flights of Soviet and then American ships with people on board. The significance of space biology does not end there. Research in this area will continue to be especially needed to solve a number of problems, in particular for the biological reconnaissance of new space routes. This will require the development of new methods of biotelemetry (a method for remotely studying biological phenomena and measuring biological indicators), creating implantable devices for small telemetry (a set of technologies that allow remote measurements and collecting information to be provided to an operator or user), converting various types of energy arising in the body into the electrical energy necessary to power such devices, new methods of "compressing" information, etc. Space biology will also play an extremely important role in the development of biocomplexes, or closed ecological systems with autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms, necessary for long-term flights.

Space biology is a branch of biology that studies the features of the existence of living organisms in extraterrestrial conditions, the impact of cosmic factors on them, as well as the possibility of the existence of life on other planets.

The emergence and development of space biology is associated with the successes of modern science and rocket technology, which made it possible to carry out flights beyond the earth's atmosphere.

Space biology develops research methods and means of ensuring the life of man and animals in space flight, when a living organism can be simultaneously affected by various factors. First of all, these are ionizing radiation (see Cosmic radiation), accelerations and weightlessness, as well as long-term isolation in conditions of limited motor activity, an artificial atmosphere, certain dietary habits, etc. The effect of these factors on humans, animals and plants is studied in the laboratory, simulating individual factors of space flight, or in flights on artificial Earth satellites and spacecraft controlled directly by man.

When solving the problem of the existence of life on other planets, the natural conditions of these planets are studied, the composition of meteorites is analyzed in comparison with the forms of manifestation of life on Earth in various climatic conditions (Arctic, Antarctic, mountains, deserts, etc.).

Animals (monkeys, dogs, mice, guinea pigs), insects (drosophila flies, etc.), plants (unicellular algae -; seeds of wheat, peas, onions, etc.) are used as objects of study.

Studies of animals that have made flights on various aircraft (including rockets) have provided scientific evidence of the possibility of human flights into outer space.

In the process of biomedical research, the functional systems of the body (cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, etc.) are studied that characterize its general condition, the limits of tolerance to the effects of harmful factors; conduct a study of the protective functions of the body, biochemical studies of blood, urine, the state of hematopoietic functions by cytological and histological methods. On plants and fruit flies, genetic studies of the processes of transmission of hereditary traits and growth under the influence of space flight factors are carried out.

Modern methods and equipment are widely used in space biology research. So, to study and control the state of various functional systems, electrophysiological equipment is used (electroencephalographs, electrocardiographs, myographs, etc.); to measure the physical and physiological parameters that characterize the state of the object of study and its living conditions directly in flight - telemetric methods, television, which allows you to observe the object at a distance, calculating machines, which make it possible to timely and accurately process the information necessary to monitor the state a living object in the cockpit of a spacecraft.

The data obtained on the effect of individual factors of space flight on living organisms made it possible to develop protective measures for the safety of human flights in space - hermetic cabins, means of protection against ionizing radiation, etc. (see Space medicine).

A big and very complex problem of space biology is the development of means to ensure normal human life during space flight. The choice of an appropriate life support system for an astronaut is determined by the duration of the space flight. So, for a flight lasting only a few days, a life support system is used, based on the use of food, water and oxygen taken from the Earth, or highly effective chemical compounds that absorb and release oxygen.

In long-term space flights to other planets of the solar system, when the reserves taken from the Earth cannot provide the astronauts, more complex life support systems based on the biological cycle of substances in the cabin of the spacecraft will be used. In this regard, experimental work is being carried out to substantiate the principles and methods for providing the necessary conditions for human life in the cabin of a spacecraft.

To provide astronauts with air, physical or physico-chemical methods of the gas environment of the cabins are used, that is, the conversion of used air into air suitable for breathing, with a slight addition of fresh, unregenerated air from reserves taken from the Earth.

The water supply system provides for the recovery of water from human waste (exhaled air, urine). By means of distillation, electroosmosis, purification with ion exchange resins, etc., it is possible to obtain water suitable for drinking.

To provide astronauts with the necessary nutrients, biological communities are created: a plant - an animal - a person. For this, algae (for example, chlorella), garden crops, zoo- and phytoplankton, poultry, rabbits, etc. can be used on the ship. The creation of such systems is a necessary condition for ensuring human flight to other planets in the solar system.

On the whole, the scientific achievements of space biology have had a great influence on the development of general biology and contributed to the success of space medicine in solving the problems of supporting human space flights.