• Question: Would the affects that zero gravity has on the body stop you from wanting to do something like stay on the ISS for extended periods of time?

    Asked by Imo to Anne, Beth, COLFlight, Jon, Tom on 9 Oct 2015. This question was also asked by 8P form.
    • Photo: Columbus Flight Directors

      Columbus Flight Directors answered on 9 Oct 2015:

      Sergio:
      Hi Imo,
      that is an interesting question indeed. Being an astronaut is really cool, but there are things that come along with it that are not so cool.

      I think astronauts are real heroes, they put their life at risk and they “rent” their bodies to scientists to do a lot of research on what happens to the human body in space.
      It’s true that we won’t allow too “bad” experiments and that when they can come back the effects of space travel will not permanently harm them or disturb their future life, but still I admire what they do for the good of science and humanity.

      Would I do that? Honestly I’m not 100% sure about it, I think I can’t give you an answer until I don’t really find myself in the situation and in the need of deciding…

    • Photo: Jonathan Scott

      Jonathan Scott answered on 10 Oct 2015:

      No I wouldn’t – almost everything that happens to the human body in microgravity goes back to normal when you spend a few months on Earth in normal gravity, so the changes wouldn’t bother me. However, I say ‘almost’ everything, because there are one or two things that we’re not 100% sure do go back to normal, but I’d accept this for a chance to visit space.

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