Health and Medicine

>-> Why Health and Medicine is an issue

>-> Why you don't need to be a superman to survive the trip to orbit or live there

>-> How we know what we know so far - long stay astronauts' accounts, research etc.

Space Sickness

It's well known that many people who visit space, on the US space shuttle or the Russian "Soyuz" launcher, feel sick, and even vomit. The reason for this is much the same as the reason why some people are sick in cars or ships - "motion sickness" or "travel sickness". (For those who are interested in the details, it's due to the conflict between what your eyes are telling your brain and what your inner ear is telling your brain about your bodily position.)

For a long time it was said that "space sickness" is somehow special, and different from other forms of travel sickness. But it isn't. Sure, the precise type of movement of the inner ear is a little different in zero G - just as car-sickness, sea-sickness and air-sickness are a little different from each other. But the good thing is that normal travel sickness medicines are entirely effective against "space sickness", as they are against other forms of motion sickness.

The main reason people are sick on the space shuttle is that they are asked not to take anti- sickness medication, so that NASA staff can do research on the phenomenon. It is indeed possible to do "research" on space sickness - just as it would be possible to do research on sea sickness. But there's no need to. Brain scientists don't fully "understand" sea-sickness - but the cruise industry doesn't pay them to do research. They just make it easy for passengers to get hold of effective medication! The commercial approach - low cost and effective. The same will be done for space tourism, and noone will need to be sick.

>-> Long Term Health problems in Space (Muscle deterioriation - fix with exercise) (Bone weakening) (Radiation)

>-> Health Benefits in Space (Elderly retirement homes?) (Easier to mend bones/carry out surgery?) (Space Hospitals)