Tag: Future space exploration
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Space Junk – a serious threat to our space missions
In 2009, a Russian and an American satellite in orbit collided with each other creating lots of debris in the process. In recent years, space junk has increased significantly, endangering future space missions. Space junk or space debris is defined as machinery or debris left by humans in space. These could range from dead satellites…
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How does space affect the body?
From microgravity to radiation, space is an extreme environment. Kate Summerson examines the impact this can have on the human body. As we know, NASA plans to increase the length of space travel, making deep space more accessible than ever before. To achieve this, NASA has been increasing its efforts to understand how longer term…
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Bacteria in space: why biological life support systems are the future of space travel
One of the greatest challenges limiting our ability to send astronauts on long-haul missions is the need for constant resupply of essential materials from Earth. Any manned spaceflight needs to carry enough food, water and oxygen to sustain a crew for the duration of the mission, but there is only so much weight a single…
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SpaceX’s new Starship builds hopes for Mars missions
Recently, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, laid out his plans for the company’s new Starship and Super Heavy booster projects to reach orbit within the next six months. Their current aim is to get the rocket and booster to orbit the Earth as well as complete missions to the Moon and Mars. In the longer…
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Sperm in space: The sexual politics of space travel
A recent discovery about the survivability of sperm cells in space has strong implications about the future of space travel. It may be women, not men, who colonise other planets. This presents a tremendous opportunity for female astronauts, but it may also represent an ideological step back in our goal for equality among the sexes.…