The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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In space, there is no such thing as waiting for the dust to settle. Rather than drifting to the ground, dust particles float about continuously and can irritate eyes and lungs.
By recording how much nitrogen oxide he exhales in space as part of the Airway Monitoring experiment, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst is helping researchers understand how to monitor, diagnose and treat lung conditions like asthma here on Earth.
The findings of this monitoring will also be crucial to exploring the Moon and even Mars – where dust is considered even more toxic and must be carefully managed for astronauts’ health.
The Airways Monitoring experiment has been underway since 2015. Later in the Horizons mission Alexander will repeat the experiment in the reduced pressure of the airlock.
Follow Alexander and the Horizons mission on social media via http://alexandergerst.esa.int/ and read the latest on the blog http://blogs.esa.int/alexander-gerst/