AEM-X: A Rodent Habitat In Space

Mickey Mouse in space? Perhaps, as Disney already owns the Star Wars franchise, but this is not science fiction that we are talking about here, as NASA intends to send rodents in to space next. I would suppose that these will be the next generation of literal lab rats, where NASA intends to send them rocketing up to the International Space Station in the name of science. Of course, this would not mark the first time that rodents have escaped away from the earth’s atmosphere as they have ridden in a space shuttle before, but the upcoming space mission could actually last from a month all the way to three.

It other words, it will require more than just the usual habitat for our little furry friends in order for them to remain nice and healthy. Julie Robinson, NASA’s chief scientist for the space station, shared “This will allow animals to be studied for longer period of time on space station missions.” After all, very few animals in the past spent more than a fortnight in the vacuum we call space.

The selected mice will be housed in the AEM-X that you can see above, and other than mice, the folks over at NASA would also like to send the likes of fruit flies into space. It would be interesting to let the mice and a cat run lose in space though.

Edwin Kee
Categories: General
Tags: Science, Space