Why NASA wants the woman to stay on the ISS for 11 months



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Washington, April 28: Astronaut Christina Koch will set a record for the longest space flight of a woman at the end of her 11-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2020 His long stay aboard the ISS must be accomplished. with NASA preparing for human missions on the Moon and Mars.

Koch's mission will provide researchers with an opportunity to observe the effects of a long-duration space flight on a woman, NASA said.

The duration of his planned mission will be a little shorter than the longest flight ever made by a NASA astronaut, or 340 days set by former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, during his mission. One year in 2015-16.

The mission has become necessary because most of the data available are from male astronauts. But the bodies of men and women react differently and health problems manifest themselves at different rates for men and women.

With this mission, researchers hope to better understand the adaptability of astronauts over long periods of exposure in space and better support the development of effective countermeasures to preserve the health of the crew .

Last month, NASA had accepted the Donald Trump administration's challenge to send humans back to the moon by 2024, four years earlier than the agency's goal. American space.

"This time, when we go to the moon, we will stay, and then we will use what we learn on the moon to cross the next giant jump: send astronauts to Mars," said the director of the Moon. NASA, Jim Bridenstine.

Koch's stay on the space station will eclipse Peggy Whitson's previous mark of 288 days on shipments 50-52 in 2016-17, NASA said.

Koch arrived on board the space station on March 14, beginning scientific research activities as part of the crew of Expedition 59. It is now expected that she will remain in orbit until she reaches the space station. in February 2020.

"It's an honor to follow in Peggy's footsteps," Koch said, quoted by NASA.

Meanwhile, NASA 's human research program continues to lay the groundwork for future year – long missions to the space station and has selected 25 proposals to study biological, physiological and behavioral adaptations to space flight.

According to information from selected studies during its future one-year missions, NASA has indicated that it aims to reduce the risks associated with human space travel: space radiation, isolation and containment. , distance from the Earth, gravity fields (or their absence) and hostile / closed. environments that pose great risks to the human mind and body in space.

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