This study is one of the first of its kind. It simulates the effects of different levels of artificial gravity on mice on the International Space Station (ISS).

Results

Although humans have been living and working on the International Space Station (ISS) for decades, deeper space exploration has been hampered by both technology and the capabilities of the human body. So far, no spacecraft has been developed that can take humans to other planets.The only space object visited by world travelers is the Moon.

Space exploration, which started with the moon missions of the Apollo era, is gaining new dimensions in the 21st century. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Artemis program aims to be a stepping stone in the exploration of the solar system, and the first steps include finding the moon. In addition, SpaceX’s Starship program, which is being developed in Texas, aims to make regular flights to Mars.

To travel to Mars, future space travelers will have to deal with the harsh conditions of space. Humans evolved to live on Earth, and some of the limitations of deep space exploration include the harsh radiation present just outside the Earth and the long-term effects of weightlessness. Weightlessness affects human muscles, bone mass and other parts of the body.

New data collected by researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of Rhode Island show that: Some of these effects may be mitigated. The study involved 12-week-old adult mice exposed to weightlessness, 0.33G, 0.67G or 1G gravity in centrifuges during a 30-day mission on the ISS. At the same time, 12 mice were placed in Earth-like conditions. After the end of the study period, the body weight and bone adhesion strength of the mice were measured. They were then euthanized and dissected to assess the condition of their muscles.

One of the bones most damaged by weightlessness in the human body is the femur. It is a load-bearing bone and the gravitational force of the human body gives it strength. Current research suggests that for mouse femurs, an artificial gravity similar to that of Mars (0.33 simulated and 0.38 actual), caused increased mineral density of the femur.

In addition, percent loss of lean muscle mass was lowest In subjects with 0.33G gravity, the moisture content of the calf and plantar muscles was higher in mice with 0.33G gravity than in weightless mice, according to the study abstract. The calf muscle is the triceps muscle of the leg, and the plantar muscle covers the upper part of the leg. Like the femurs, these are weight-bearing muscles.