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Space launch motion affects longevity in C. elegans   Gregory C. Luerman, Hana Murakami, and Shin Murakami,    Gheens Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.

   Space launch motion is an environmental change during the space travel.  Although the launch motion has been regarded to have relatively minor effects, it may contribute to the vulnerability to space environment and to increased health risk in space.  We investigated effects of space launch motion on aging, by giving the simulated launch motion at embryogenesis, development and adult phases.  We took advantage of the custom-made space launch motion simulator, “SHOT”, supported by the University of Louisville-NASA collaboration.  The “SHOT” launch motion simulator provides an improved opportunity to measure the risks of space flight.  Wild-type animals were exposed to launch motion at the age of embryo or young adult, and survivals were examined. Although both conditions caused no immediate increase in mortality, launched animals showed a significant increase in mortality a few days after launch motion (p < .001), compared to the unlaunched controls.  The effect was more likely to occur during early development than in young adults.  We found little or modest effect on L1, L2/L3 and L4 larval stages.  The results show that the effects of space launch motion could lead to a delayed increase in mortality, depending on the stages.  We also suggest that C. elegans could provide a useful system for the assessment of biological risks of the new launch methods.