Microgravity has various negative impacts on health.  While bone and muscle loss are the most well known and dangerous, they have recently been resolved a combination of medicine, diet, and exercise. One remaining issue is the fluid shift from the spinal column to the eyes and optic nerves over time.  Roughly two out of three […]

NASA is currently developing prototypes of small nuclear power plants for use in robotic and crewed missions.  While this work is early and low priority, it is on the critical path to space exploration and settlement. The reactors will use uranium as a heat source and Stirling cycle mechanics.  This will avoid the issue of […]

OneWeb (Google's satellite constellation) is preparing to manufacture three satellites a day.   While Elon Musk's high speed internet constellation is meant to help pay for space settlement, Google's constellation has no grander purpose.  It will help drive down the cost of launch vehicles, though, by providing a steady paying customer for those services. Space […]

The latest Falcon 9/Dragon resupply mission to ISS contains a small experiment to evaluate the effect of space radiation in a habitat on antibody encoding genes.  This goes directly to one of the Grand Challenges of space settlement. Not only is the human immune system mildly suppressed by long stays in orbit, but the virulence […]

Sorry for the delay. The fourth installment in the Grand Challenges of Space Settlement is up.  Radiation.

Here is a new page in the Space Settlement Challenges series.  Part 3 of 12. Health issues in Microgravity.