# Jellyfish sent into space struggled to swim on return 2026-08-10T12:55:03+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet In 1991, NASA flew Aurelia jellyfish polyps aboard the space shuttle Columbia on the SLS-1 mission to study how microgravity affects balance. The polyps were induced to develop into juvenile ephyrae while in orbit. Though the space-grown jellyfish formed normal gravity-sensing organs called rhopalia, many struggled to swim properly after returning to Earth. Researchers observed incomplete pulses, muscle spasms, and uncoordinated arm movements. The findings suggested that developing under gravity is necessary for organisms to calibrate their vestibular system, even if the physical structures appear intact. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: balance, jellyfish, microgravity, NASA, SLS-1, space biology Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/jellyfish-sent-into-space-struggled-to-swim-on-return/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/jellyfish-sent-into-space-struggled-to-swim-on-return/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.