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The ecosystem inside a spacecraft plays a big role in the daily life of an astronaut in space.

Microbes can change characteristics in space, and micro-organisms that naturally live on the human body are transferred more easily from person to person in closed habitats, such as the space station. Stress hormone levels can elevate and the immune system can alter, which could lead to increased susceptibility to allergies or other illnesses. More research is needed into whether these changes pose serious risks to astronauts.

Beyond the effects of the environment on the immune system, every inch and detail of living and working quarters must be carefully considered and designed. No one wants their house to be too hot, too cold, cramped, crowded, loud, or poorly lit, and no one would enjoy working and living in such a habitat in space either.

Learn more about the challenges associated with hostile/closed environments:

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Scientists Probe How Long-Term Spaceflight Alters Immunity

On Earth, a human body with a properly functioning immune system will work to overcome an infection. But in space,…

Why the Spacecraft Environment Matters

In an episode of "Houston, We Have A Podcast," a NASA immunologist discusses the health issues hostile and closed environments could pose to crew members on future spaceflight missions to the Moon and Mars.

Listen to Houston We Have a Podcast

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins inspected the Bigelow Aerospace Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) attached to the International Space Station. Expandable habitats are designed to take up less room on a spacecraft while providing greater volume for living and working in space once expanded. It was the first checkup of BEAM since the initial inspection of the space station's expanded node after it was deployed May 28. Rubins collected radiation monitors and sampled surfaces inside BEAM to assess the microbe environment. Her inspection revealed the module appeared in good condition, and the samples and radiation detectors were packed for return to Earth for analysis. For the next two years, crew members will inspect the module every three months to check for stability.

NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins inside the Bigelow Aerospace Expandable Activity Module attached to the space station. Expandable habitats are designed to take up less room on a spacecraft while providing greater volume for living and working in space once expanded.

Credit: NASA

HERA

NASA's Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) is a unique 650-square-foot habitat split among two floors and a loft, designed to serve as an analog for isolation, confinement, and remote conditions in exploration scenarios.

HERA Crew

Credit: NASA

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The Human Body in Space

For more than 50 years, NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) has studied what happens to the human body in space. Researchers…

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