Aims
Advanced Topics in Life Sciences in Space
Content
At the start of every lecture, basic concepts of anatomy and physiology will be explained.
The human body has developed over thousands of years in the presence of gravity. For example almost 50% of all our muscles are anti gravity muscles intended to keep us upright. In space, the human body tries to adapt to the new environment. However, this adaptation can have serious implications after returning to Earth and resulting in some astronauts in so-called orthostatic intolerance (difficulty in standing upright for some time). Over the 50 years that humans have flown in space, several hazards have been identified: radiation, loss of bone mineral density, and muscular and cardiovascular deconditioning are only some of the most important risk factors. A major objective in the NASA, ESA, and Russian space programs is to seek countermeasures to either avoid or minimize the impact of these hazards. To develop effective countermeasures, the mechanisms of the physiological adaptation have to be understood. Even now, not all mechanisms causing the changes and adaptations in human physiology are fully understood.
Finally, future aspects of human space flight will be discussed: long duration missions (Mars voyage simulation (Mars500), Moon, Mars, asteroids) space participants… Many studies originate from personal experience.
More information at: https://onderwijsaanbod.kuleuven.be/syllabi/e/G0G07BE.htm#activetab=doelstellingen_idp8679872
