U.S. biological experiments in space

Abstract

The history of biologic experimentation in space is traced. Early balloon and rocket borne animals showed no abnormalities on the macroscale, and biosatellite launches with bacteria and amoebae revealed no microscopic dysfunctions. Adult Drosophila flies on board Cosmos spacecraft died with a shortened lifespan, while their offspring lived full lifespans. Green pepper plants grown in weightlessness showed a different orientation, but no physiological disturbances. Normal bone growth in rats has been found to almost cease after 11 days in space, and the mean life span of red blood cells decreases by four days. A series of experiments designed by U.S. scientists will be performed on primates provided and flown by the U.S.S.R. Finally, experiments on board Spacelab will involve determination of the persistence of circadian rhythms in bacteria and humans.