Is there any data to indicate that astronauts puked during launch?
Yes, there have been records of astronauts experiencing nausea and vomiting, also known as space motion sickness, during launch and space missions. The changes in gravitational forces and the body's adaptation to the microgravity environment can cause motion sickness-like symptoms.
NASA has conducted studies on space motion sickness, and the data indicates that approximately 50% to 75% of astronauts experience some level of nausea and vomiting during their initial exposure to microgravity. These symptoms typically occur early in the mission and tend to decrease as the body adapts to the new environment.
For instance, during the early days of manned spaceflight, several astronauts reported experiencing space sickness during launch and in orbit. Astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, experienced slight nausea during his Friendship 7 mission in 1962. Similarly, the crew of the first Apollo mission, Apollo 7, including astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham, also suffered from space sickness.
NASA and other space agencies have developed preventive measures and countermeasures to manage space motion sickness, including medication, training, and gradual adaptation to microgravity. Nevertheless, it remains a common phenomenon that affects astronauts to varying degrees.