On April 30, the three astronauts of Shenzhou 17 returned to Earth from the Chinese space station in a spacecraft, although the whole return process was thrilling, and the spacecraft return capsule was burned by a high temperature of up to 1000-2000 °C, but the whole process was very smooth. From the evacuation of the space station, to the separation of the module, to the entry into the atmosphere, the opening of the parachute, and the landing on the ground, the whole process can be said to be perfect in one go.
Before the spacecraft landed safely, the search and rescue teams in the air and on the ground had already arrived near the actual landing site in advance and waited for the spacecraft to land. When the spacecraft landed safely, the ground staff immediately started a series of work, including inspecting the spacecraft and confirming the physical condition of the astronauts, and then all three astronauts successfully exited the capsule. Although they carried out a six-month space flight trip, when they returned to Earth, the astronauts were in very good physical condition, and there was no need to worry.
After the astronaut leaves the capsule, he needs to sit on the chair and rest for a period of time to slowly readjust to the gravity on the ground. On May 1, the astronauts arrived in Beijing by plane, where they will go into quarantine and recuperate for a comprehensive medical examination and health assessment. Why do you need to quarantine after returning to Earth after a space flight, and is it true that you are forbidden to have children after returning from a space mission?
Why quarantine after returning
Whether it is the current Shenzhou-17 astronaut crew, or the previous missions, or the Shenzhou-18 astronaut crew who are flying on the Chinese space station, when they return to Earth from space, they have the same process, that is, they need to go through a period of isolation and observation. However, this quarantine observation period is not a concern about whether they have contracted any virus during their mission in space.
The researchers said that the reason for the quarantine is not to worry about whether there is a virus, because the environment in our spacecraft and space station is well controlled and will not be infected by the so-called space virus. Astronauts need to be quarantined for a period of time, in fact, it is also for the protection of astronauts.
As we all know, the environment in outer space is completely different from the environment on the ground, and one of the differences is gravity, on the ground we are subject to gravity all the time, but in outer space astronauts are in a state of weightlessness.
Performing tasks in the outer space environment for a long time will cause changes in the astronaut's body in all aspects, and the immunity will also decrease. In such a situation, when they return to Earth in a spacecraft, they are quarantined for a period of time to avoid uncontrolled contact between people and astronauts, and they are basically isolated from the outside world to protect astronauts.
Isolation is the first step in the recovery period of the astronaut crew, and after the completion of the isolation observation period, two stages of convalescence and recovery and observation are also required. The first step is a 14-day isolation period, during which the astronaut adjusts to gravity on the ground, improves the cardiovascular system and supports locomotor organs.
The second step of medical recuperation is 20 to 30 days, during which the astronauts will increase the amount of exercise to further enhance their physique. The third step is about 3 months of recuperation, after which the astronaut's body will return to the state before the mission, and then you can start your daily training, and you can continue to participate in the selection of the next mission after completing the training.
It seems simple, but the reality is much more complicated than we think. Because of living and working in the weightless environment of space for a long time, astronauts have developed some living habits, so they also need to adjust their living habits during the recovery period.
For example, in outer space, due to the weightless environment, astronauts will be accustomed to putting some small objects in front of them and levitating them, and after returning to the earth, these habits are difficult to change immediately for a while.
In addition, the schedule also needs to be readjusted. Flying in low-earth orbit will circle the earth in about 1.5 hours, and you can see sunrise and sunset almost 16 times a day, which will also affect the astronauts' schedule. After returning to Earth, astronauts' schedules also need to be readjusted.
Is it true that children are prohibited after returning home?
Some netizens believe that in the outer space environment, the body of astronauts is affected by various aspects, including genetic mutations, etc., so they believe that astronauts will be banned from giving birth after completing the mission.
When selecting female astronauts, it is true that married and childbearing will be given priority, but this does not mean that the space mission will affect the fertility of female astronauts.
This is because astronauts need to spend several years participating in a series of training after being selected, during which female astronauts are unable to have children, and may miss the best time to give birth. Therefore, when selecting female astronauts, it is true that priority will be given to those who have already given birth, but there is no provision that female astronauts cannot give birth after the flight mission.
The world's first female cosmonaut to fly in space was Tereshkova of the former Soviet Union. In 1963, she flew on the Vostok 6 spacecraft, before which she had never given birth to a child, and only got married and had children after returning to Earth, and the child she gave birth to was not problematic and very healthy.
In June 2012, Liu Yang carried out the Shenzhou 9 mission, before which she had not given birth to a child, and she was not banned from having children after returning to Earth from the mission. In 2014, Liu Yang revealed that he was promoted to mother.
Therefore, even if space flight does have some effects on the astronaut's body, it is not enough to make the astronaut lose the ability to have children, and there is no provision that astronauts are not allowed to have children after returning to Earth from a flight mission. Therefore, the statement that astronauts are forbidden to give birth after returning from a flight mission is actually a rumor.