In order to study the complex physiological and psychological effects of space flight environment on astronauts, experienced medical personnel are needed to visit space in person.
Space motion sickness
Space motion sickness, also known as space adaptation syndrome, is a disease that often occurs in the first few days after people enter space. Symptoms are similar to motion sickness, seasickness and airsickness on the ground. Symptoms include dizziness, dizziness, pallor, cold sweat, abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, and some nervous system symptoms such as increased saliva, belching, lethargy and headache.
Titov, the second astronaut of the former Soviet Union who flew into the sky in September, was the first person to have symptoms of space movement. During his second flight around the earth, he began to feel dizzy, nauseous and abdominal discomfort. When doing head exercises, these symptoms get worse, and after sleeping, the symptoms get less, and then disappear after returning to the ground.
There are many reasons for astronauts' healthy space motion sickness, but according to scientists' analysis, the main reason may be the dysfunction of vestibular organs in weightlessness. It can be seen that weightlessness has created people here again. Vestibular organ is the inner ear nervous system that coordinates movement and maintains human balance. On the ground, children under the age of two with underdeveloped vestibular organs and deaf-mute people with lost vestibular organs generally do not suffer from motion sickness, seasickness or airsickness, which may be one of the evidences.
Although space motion sickness is not a serious disease, and after a few days of adaptation, the symptoms will disappear on their own, but space motion sickness will reduce the working ability and efficiency of astronauts. Because of the high incidence, it will seriously affect the completion of space missions. This makes it a serious space medical problem. Therefore, all space powers attach great importance to the study of space motion sickness.
Bone decalcification
Under the influence of weightlessness, the excretion of inorganic salts such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in urine increases. Generally, the monthly calcium loss is 0.3% ~ 0.5% of the total body weight. After decalcification, bones will become loose, and slight activity and exertion will cause fractures, especially fractures of spine and long bones. Physical exercise in space is the main way to fight decalcification. The second is to eat foods rich in calcium. Taking calcium phosphate drugs also has a certain effect.
radiation sickness
When astronauts fly in space, they will be radiated by nuclear power, nuclear batteries and other radiation sources carried on the spacecraft, and may also be radiated by cosmic rays and high-energy particles in the earth's radiation belt, which is even more dangerous in the event of solar flares. Two former Soviet astronauts who flew in space for 75 days were exposed to 7 rem of radiation. Other astronauts, such as Soyuz 35 and Gemini and Apollo 14, also received considerable doses of radiation. Strengthening radiation protection is the main way to prevent radiation sickness, and taking anti-radiation drugs (often taken with vitamins) also has a certain protective effect.
fatigue
Astronauts are exposed to weightlessness, overweight, noise, high and low temperature, special lighting and narrow environment for a long time, and their sensory function, motor function and brain center function will be reduced, resulting in fatigue symptoms and affecting work efficiency. In addition to strengthening physical exercise, adjusting work and rest time, taking some anti-fatigue drugs also has certain effects.
In addition, long-term space flight away from the crowd will cause psychological stress.