Print this page

Bolivia’s hypergravity blood cell test for astronaut health

Written by  Tuesday, 19 December 2023 10:58
Bolivian research team with Large Diameter Centrifuge

The latest international group to employ ESA’s hypergravity-generating Large Diameter Centrifuge is an all-female team from Bolivia, with access sponsored by the United Nations and ESA. The researchers are investigating whether the high gravity levels experienced during rocket launches might contribute to the anemia afflicting many astronauts in space.

Hypergravity centrifuge in motion
Hypergravity centrifuge in motion

Dr. Chavez adds: “We are an all-female team, which wasn’t intentional, but they are all brilliant students, and it’s fair to say females are a bit more organised!”

Team member Natalia Agramont says: “We didn’t think too much about gender at the time, but we have been part of some important initiatives subsequently, including Matilda, an organisation encouraging female Latin America students to go into STEM subjects. And we’ve been featured on Pica, which is a popular TV show for Bolivian teenagers, raising a lot of interest.”


Read more from original source...