Learning about Life on Space Station

摘要

The International Space Station as humanity's outpost in low Earth orbit, is an ideal platform for studying how to live in space, as well as to conduct research to learn more about life. A long-duration microgravity platform such as ISS allows the study of biological and physiological processes free of the one constant force to which they have been subjected since the origin of life on Earth: gravity. Although construction of ISS is still under way, the US Laboratory Module Destiny has been outfitted with its full complement of 10 research facilities, two of them dedicated to life sciences research. In the coming years, Destiny will be joined by the European Space Agency's Columbus and by Japan's Kibo research modules with additional facilities, and then by the Centrifuge Accommodation Module containing a centrifuge for variable gravity research. Research has been ongoing for only 2 of its planned 15 years of orbital life, so we have clearly just opened the door to learning about life on Space Station.