Bioastronautics

From an engineering perspective, facilitating the delivery and exchange of air, food, and water, and the processing of waste products is also challenging. The transition from expendable physicochemical methods to sustainable bioregenerative systems that function as a robust miniature ecosystem is another goal of bioastronautics in facilitating long duration space travel. Such systems are often termed Closed Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS). == Medical considerations ==

From a medical perspective, long duration space flight also has physiological impacts on astronauts. Accelerated bone decalcification, similar to osteopenia and osteoporosis on Earth, is just one such condition. Another serious concern is the effects of space travel upon the kidneys. Current estimates of these effects upon the kidneys indicates that unless some kind of effective additional remedial technology against kidney damage is employed, astronauts who have been exposed to micro-gravity, reduced gravity, and Galactic radiation for 3 years or so on a Mars mission may have to return to Earth while attached to dialysis machines. The study of the potential effects of space travel is useful not only for advancing methods of the safe habitation of space, and the travel through space, but also in uncovering ways to more effectively treat closely related terrestrial ailments. == NASA's Bioastronautics library ==

NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas maintains a Bioastronautics Library. The one-room facility provides a collection of textbooks, reference books, conference proceedings, and academic journals related to bioastronautics topics. Because the library is located within secure government property (not part of Space Center Houston, the official visitors center of JSC), it is not generally accessible to the public. ==See also==