From space station MIR to EARTH, Costa Rica

They are to attend the 13th Planet Congress of the Association of Space Explorers, where the application of space technology in sustainable development projects will be discussed.

The Association is formed by 250 astronauts from 26 nations, and was established in 1985. Its goal is to promote the discussion and sponsorship of topics related to space science.

Among those attending the Congress, the organizers mentioned United States (U.S.) astronaut Shannon Lucid, a veteran of five space missions, the most recent involving five months on Russian space station MIR. Also present will be pioneer space explorer Scott Carpenter (U.S.) and Alexei Leonov, from Russia, the first cosmonaut to take a space walk.

Costa Rica was chosen to host the Congress as a means to pay homage to NASA astronaut Franklin Chang, who was born here.

``The Congress will attract all of the scientists interested in the space race. Costa Rica will become the world capital of space science,'' said José Antonio Zaglul, of the organizing committee.

The issues to be discussed include the current condition and outlook of space station MIR and the safety of spacecraft and their crews, the origins of the universe and the contribution of space programs to the preservation of the environment and medical research.

While in Costa Rica, the astronauts will visit 18 communities throughout the country. They will also take part in the celebration of the 176th anniversary of Costa Rica and of the other Central American nations, on September 15.

The Viceminister of Information, Manuel Emilio Morales, asserted that the visit of the astronauts will, ``stimulate children and youth, as well as the scientific development of the country.''

Chagas disease

Among the medical projects supported by space technology, there is one on the Chagas disease promoted by Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and the U.S.

Zaglul, who is also the rector of the School of Agriculture of the Wet Tropic Region (EARTH in Spanish), asserted that great progress toward fighting Chagas has already been achieved, particularly through samples of a local tree called ``Naked Indian'' with which NASA astronauts have made experiments with in space.

So far, he explained, the samples of elements extracted from the Naked Indian and treated in space have shown to be ten times as powerful as the current inhibitors of the virus of the disease, which is carried by a mosquito.

It will take several years to confirm if the research on the disease done at EARTH and at other 15 academic centers in Latin America and the U.S. will prove positive, Zaglul explained.

The Chagas disease kills 20,000 people every year and it has infected 20 million Latin Americans; however, multinational pharmaceutical companies are not interested in studies on the disease, Zaglul asserted, ``because it attacks mainly the Latin American poor, who cannot pay for medicines.''

The rector of the EARTH added that a team of scientists will tell the U.S. Congress about the progress of the project next October. He explained that they will do so because the U.S., through the NASA, is one of the leading sponsors of the research.

He also pointed out that the current Chagas research opens the doors to similar ones on AIDS, cancer, and the struggle against nematodes, to mention a few.