Can someone explain to me what research is needed in microgravity conditions?
I have seen several articles about how this can help us in scientific research. And it was also said that the best test experience in microgravity conditions could be given by suborbital flight. Is it true? And what exactly requires such research?
Clarification: The article mentioned that microgravity testing and manufacturing could help produce drugs without the additives that would be needed on Earth.
I don't quite understand how this is possible. Do substances change their molecular structure in space? Or do the reactions happen differently? Explain in a simple way if someone understands.

Tags
Off Topic

6 Comments

  • Log in to leave a comment
  • Profile image

    I recently read about the plan for a space hotel in orbit. For some reason, artificial gravity is involved in the plan. Wouldn't it be better to build a new research centre? In my opinion, it would be even cheaper. And at the same time, we could get unlimited time in microgravity.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    1,159 YaMomzBox420

    I could go on for days with specifics, but here's a few decent examples:


    Many, many things behave differently in microgravity than they do on earth. Organic molecules combine in different ways(there's certain "rules" to organic chemistry like Homochirality that are nearly impossible to break without mg), proteins fold wrong(it's not good enough to just have the correct chemical formula, it needs to be arranged the right way too), living cells make strange adaptations(plant cells stop producing cell walls), etc. Spiders of the same species build completely different webs on the ISS than they do on earth. Plants grow at different rates and with completely different structures. Nano-scale 3d printing in microgravity simplifies the process greatly over that on earth(atoms and molecules can be moved around more easily among other things). As mentioned previously, cloned organs can be grown more easily as well. And there's a ton more that I can't even get into now.


    it was also said that the best test experience in microgravity conditions could be given by suborbital flight. Is it true?

    Not completely sure about that, but I'd guess it depends on the research you're doing. There's a ton of different methods to perform microgravity research, and none are necessarily better than the rest. Seriously, you could perform the research on a rollercoaster if it's designed right. But the more common methods include planes like the "Vomit Comet" and "Drop Towers" for most research purposes, however the test duration for these is very short compared to a suborbital rocket or something like the ISS.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    Cures to so many types of other problems can be found aswell, like stopping famine, Drought, Wildfires, Volcanoes, and more. Space is truly a medium to fix life on earth.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    @KuiperAerospace If this is true, then this is very cool. Thank you for such a simple and clear explanation. I hope everything will be as it should be. So we can really get effective treatments thanks to this? Great.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    Microgravity can help build organs because on earth you need expensive and complicated bases, in space, you can just print and save lives. There are countless other human anatomy researches like finding cures for cancer (Witch some have successfully been found!) Cures for malaria, alzimers, and a whole lot more could be possible in space. :)

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    here is one of the articles https://www.skyrora.com/post/increasing-interest-for-microgravity-research-skyrora
    But all such articles do not seem accurate enough to me, I suppose.
    The general description is clear to me. But there are no specific examples. Maybe someone knows about something similar? For example, thanks to research in microgravity, we got ... (???)

    3.1 years ago

2 Upvotes

Log in in to upvote this post.