Sick spaceship syndrome

THE INTERNATIONAL Space Station seems to have sick building syndrome. Astronauts who have worked inside the partially constructed station have suffered vomiting, headaches, burning and itching eyes, and nausea.

Documents leaked to a web site from the United States space agency, Nasa, suggest that poor air quality or chemicals released by materials used in panels lining the Russian Zarya module, part of the huge station, could be to blame. But an investigation concluded: "It is virtually impossible to accurately quantify the specific source or cause of the crew's physiological symptoms."

New Scientist magazine today reports that the astronauts described a "definite odour" when they gathered in the Unity docking module for a press conference.

One suggestion is that the adhesive backing on Velcro used in the Zarya module might be releasing nausea-inducing chemicals into the air.

The ISS's first components were launched in December, as part of a pounds 35bn project to provide permanent living quarters in space for up to seven astronauts.

Nasa now plans to install air-quality monitoring equipment before the first permanent crew arrives on the station next year.