It hardly seems fair, does it? While human space enthusiasts are struggling to get the barest glimpse of the upper atmosphere, newts and snails are getting all-expenses-paid trips into orbit.
Granted, these aren't exactly holiday cruises. NASA and Russian scientists are launching a new space mission Friday designed to study the effects of spaceflight on geckos, newts and snails, with an eye towards improving research techniques.
The experiments should provide new data in the areas of genetics, cell proliferation, tissue regeneration, and the effects of microgravity, researchers say. The robotically controlled mission will fly in low orbit for 12 days, before releasing a reentry module slated for landing in Northern Kazakhstan or southern Russia.
All scientific data will be shared between Russian and American scientists, the participating space agencies said. More such missions are planned, NASA researchers said in a statement:
"NASA's long-term goal is to use simple, easily maintained species to determine the biological responses to the rigors of spaceflight, including the virtual absence of gravity," project scientist Kenneth
Souza, of NASA Ames, said in a statement.
Indeed, maybe it's time to give the noble newt – representatives of which been reaching orbit at least since 1985 -- their spacegoing due.
Maybe a stamp or something. Monkeys have gotten all the good press.
NASA Collaborates with Russia on Foton-M3 Mission [NASA press release]
(Photo: A Soyuz-U rocket. credit: Roscosmos)
