STS-95 has commonly been recognized as the spaceflight that will return U.S. Senator John Glenn (D-Ohio) to orbit after a 36-year hiatus.
But STS-95 is, first and foremost, a research mission. Discovery will carry to orbit nearly three dozen life sciences, microgravity sciences and advanced technology experiments sponsored by NASA, the Japanese Space Agency (NASDA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and commercial entities.
While recognizing the historic significance of Glenn’s second spaceflight--some three decades after the now 77-year-old political and aeronautical hero became the first American to orbit Earth, inaugurating an era of human space endeavors that in many ways has come to define the 20th century—microgravity researchers are also particularly excited about the ground-breaking scientific research Glenn and his Discovery crewmates will perform while in orbit.
Since aging and space flight share a number of similar physiological responses, the study of space flight may provide a model system to help scientists interested in understanding aging. Some of these similarities include bone and muscle loss, balance disorders, and sleep disturbances. Space biomedical researchers and gerontologists believe more research in these areas could help older people live more productive and active lives and could reduce the number of individuals requiring long-term medical care in their later years. |
