Lead
On June 19, 1963, the former Soviet Union's manned spacecraft "No. 6" entered space under the thrust of the rocket, and an unknown "devil egg" rushed from the earth to space, starting a three-day flight around the earth, and the cosmonaut in it also became the world's first female cosmonaut - Valentina Treshkova.
In the 50 years since, female astronauts have made important contributions to the field of space exploration, and there are more and more female astronauts in space agencies around the world.
However, with the gradual increase in the number of female astronauts, a rumor about female astronauts being restricted from giving birth after returning to Earth has also spread on the Internet.
So, are female astronauts really subject to all kinds of restrictions?
1. The physical challenges of astronauts in the space environment.
Astronauts are arguably the closest human group to the "elixir of immortality" because their bodies can stop aging and growth in space.
However, since space can make people's bodies and faces "stay young", how are astronauts' bodies challenged in a space environment different from the earth?
On the one hand, astronauts are exposed to radiation from cosmic rays, solar flares, extreme heat and extreme low temperatures, which can have serious effects on the human blood, respiratory, nervous, endocrine and immune systems. On the other hand, microgravity in space, extremely low oxygen levels, and extremely high levels of carbon dioxide in the air can also take a toll on astronauts' health.
On Earth, because of the presence of the atmosphere, many cosmic rays from the universe are blocked and do not cause any harm to nature and human health.
However, once humans enter the space environment, the protection of the atmosphere will be gone, so extreme radiation such as high-energy cosmic rays and solar flares from the universe will directly cause damage to the human body.
The main hazards caused by space radiation to the human body are:
1. Injury to the hematopoietic system.
The human hematopoietic system is mainly composed of bone marrow, which in turn produces blood cells that can be divided into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
However, one thing these blood cells have in common is that they need to be present in a large number of DNA molecules during their division and growth.
However, cosmic rays in space radiation are a kind of radiation that can directly cause damage to the DNA molecules of the human body, so in space, the human bone marrow, especially the DNA molecules in the bone marrow, will be directly attacked, thus seriously affecting the normal work of the hematopoietic system.
2. The immune system is compromised.
The body's immune system is mainly made up of white blood cells and lymphocytes, which are also extremely vulnerable to space radiation.
On the one hand, radiation from the universe can damage the DNA molecules in white blood cells and lymphocytes, thus mutating the division and growth process of these cells, affecting the normal work of the immune system. On the other hand, cosmic radiation also produces a large number of free radicals during the internal decomposition of the human body, which can also cause serious damage to the body's immune system.
3. Increased risk of cancer and genetic diseases.
The damage caused by cosmic radiation to the body's DNA molecules greatly increases the risk of cancer and genetic diseases.
On the one hand, damage to DNA molecules will lead to mutations in the process of cell division and growth, so that the growth of cells will be uncontrolled, and eventually tumors will be formed. On the other hand, damage to the DNA molecule can greatly increase the risk of cancer and genetic diseases in future generations.
On Earth, the human body will be affected by gravity, and only by activities such as standing and walking will the human bones and muscles remain active in growth, so that the human bone and muscular system will remain strong, and the health of the whole body will be good.
However, in space, due to the presence of microgravity, the human body will not be affected by gravity, which greatly affects the growth of human bones and muscular systems.
When the human body is not affected by gravity, the human skeletal system will "think" that it is not stimulated by any external stimulus, so it will mistakenly think that the human body does not need bones, and eventually it will decompose the calcium in the bones to meet the calcium needs of other organs of the human body.
In addition to this, microgravity can also cause the atrophy of the human muscle system, which may also lead to heart failure, increased blood pressure, and increased burden on the kidneys.
In space, because of the protection of the atmosphere, people can breathe in a high oxygen environment, so that oxygen molecules can enter the body's blood through the body's respiratory tract, thus providing oxygen to various organs of the body.
However, in space, without the protection of the atmosphere, in addition to the few oxygen molecules in the universe, space is also filled with a large number of carbon dioxide molecules and other harmful substances, which makes human beings unable to breathe normally in space, and it is easy to have a lack of oxygen, which eventually leads to the death of important organs such as the brain and heart due to lack of oxygen.
In space, due to the small space in the spacecraft, carbon dioxide molecules and oxygen molecules cannot be sufficiently separated from the astronauts' respiratory tract, which will cause astronauts to easily develop carbon dioxide poisoning.
Once carbon dioxide molecules are inhaled by the human respiratory tract, they will quickly occupy the position of hemoglobin in the blood circulatory system, thereby hindering the blood circulation system from transporting oxygen molecules to various organs of the human body, and eventually leading to hypoxia of human organs and tissues, and the phenomenon of hypoxia death.
2. The truth about female astronauts being restricted from giving birth.
So, back to the topic, what is the matter of female astronauts being restricted from giving birth?
In fact, if we look back at the source of this rumor, we can easily find the answer.
The source of this rumor can be traced back to 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina went into space for the first time and became the world's first female astronaut.
As a result, the United States began to select female astronauts, and in 1978 officially launched the "Female Astronaut Program".
However, after the launch of this program, criticism that female astronauts are "not allowed to have children" has followed.
So, are female astronauts criticized because they are "restricted from having children"?
In fact, the reason why the United States criticizes the fact that female astronauts are "restricted in childbirth" is mainly because in the early space exploration of the United States, male astronauts were injured due to spacecraft accidents, space environment and other reasons, leaving some scars and marks.
Later, the United States introduced a standard for the selection of astronauts, saying that only those who "have no scars on their bodies can participate in the selection of astronauts on the mainland."
However, because this standard is only formulated for male astronauts, and there are no corresponding regulations specifically for female astronauts, this leads to a great reduction in the choice of women when participating in the selection of astronauts, and ultimately leads to a relatively single selection of female astronauts, which has aroused criticism from public opinion.
Therefore, we can see that female astronauts are not criticized and discriminated against because they are "restricted from giving birth", but because they are "restricted from participating in the selection", but this statement has been misinterpreted as female astronauts "restricted from giving birth".
3. The role and challenges of women in space exploration.
However, despite the limitations of female astronauts in space exploration, women have made a significant contribution in the field of astronautics.
First, the physical differences of female astronauts often allow them to discover problems that male astronauts cannot.
For example, in 1983, Soviet female cosmonauts Savitskana, Talisova and Sharpkova discovered a bacterium called a "sputum worm" on the Soviet space station "Mir" during a mission to the space station.
The bacteria not only endangered the health of the astronauts, but also caused damage to the space station equipment, so the three female astronauts immediately proposed to "carry out emergency treatment" and finally avoided the catastrophe.
In addition to this, the perseverance and adaptability of female astronauts in space exploration are also admirable.
In 2003, the U.S. space shuttle Columbia returned with an anomaly, causing the shuttle to disintegrate in the atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts, including the first U.S. female astronaut Sadkan.
And during her lifetime, Sadkan famously said, "We have seven astronauts going to space, but I believe that if we can only have one astronaut back, it will be me."
At first, this sentence was regarded as Sadkan's self-confidence, but it was not until later that people gradually realized how much perseverance and indomitable spirit were contained in Sadkan's words.
As a woman, Sadkan has to endure not only the pressure of male astronauts, but also the differential treatment from the colleagues around her.
It is the tenacity and bravery of female astronauts that have led to the achievements of mankind in expanding new fields of space exploration today.
At the same time, Sadkan has also become a legend in the history of American astronautics, hailed by later generations as "the first female astronaut forever", and has become a role model for many women to follow.
However, as a woman, participating in space exploration can face more challenges than men.
First of all, if female astronauts choose to give birth when participating in the selection, they will spend too much energy on recuperation during the reproductive period, which will affect their investment in subsequent space exploration missions.
Secondly, in the process of space exploration, due to the limitations of the space environment, women may not be able to take into account the recuperation of the reproductive period, which will cause damage to fertility;
Finally, female astronauts may not be able to complete the training successfully due to physical reasons such as pregnancy when participating in training, and will be forced to withdraw from the selection.
Therefore, female astronauts may face the choice and contradiction between "pregnancy career" and "aerospace career", which causes greater distress and pressure for women.
IV. Conclusion
Therefore, we cannot assume that there is a lack of women in space exploration just because they have some restrictions in the field of space exploration.
It is the tenacity and bravery of women that have injected infinite vitality and strength into the field of space exploration.