NASA's SpaceXCrew-10 astronauts will test innovative exercise methods to prepare for deep space missions where bulky fitness equipment is not available. The "Zero-T2" research effort aims to remove the treadmill from exercise to see if astronauts can stay strong without a treadmill. In addition to fitness experiments, astronauts will participate in medical studies investigating everything from vision problems to genetic factors affecting health in space. These experiments will provide important insights into keeping humans healthy during future missions to the moon and Mars.
NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled to launch on March 12, will include exercise and medical research to help astronauts stay healthy during long-term missions. Some members of the four-person crew will participate in research focused on maintaining health in space.
On the space station, astronauts have access to a designated training area equipped with a weight lifting system, stationary bikes and a specialized treadmill called T2. The size of the space station allows for the use of bulky exercise equipment, which helps astronauts maintain their strength and overall health while in space and back on Earth.
Astronauts on the International Space Station typically exercise for two hours a day. From running and biking to lifting weights, learn how crew members complete fitness routines in space and work to stay healthy -- even in microgravity. Source: NASA
However, as NASA plans future missions beyond low Earth orbit, space on spacecraft will be more limited and large exercise equipment such as treadmills will become impractical. Walking and running are currently the mainstays of exercise for astronauts, and NASA is still studying how long periods of space flight without treadmills will affect muscle strength, bone health and motor function. To that end, researchers are modifying training regimens, including testing workouts that don't use treadmills, to find effective ways to keep astronauts strong and healthy during deep space missions.
In an ongoing study called "Zero-T2," team members were divided into three groups and given different exercise regimens. One group continued to exercise normally, using all the equipment available on the track complex. The second group gave up on the treadmill and relied solely on other available equipment. A third group used only a new, experimental, less bulky piece of exercise equipment. NASA will compare fitness data collected before, during and after each group's flight to determine whether not using the treadmill negatively affects the crew's physical fitness, muscle performance and recovery upon return to Earth.
"Treadmills require a lot of mass, space and energy. That's not a good thing for a mission to Mars where every kilogram matters," explained NASA astronaut Matthew Dominic, who is involved in the same research while serving as commander of the NASA SpaceX Crew-8 mission in 2024. "The Zero-T2 experiment is helping us figure out whether we can avoid treadmills and still stay healthy."
Results from the Zero-T2 study will help researchers determine how treadmill-free exercise affects crew health, which will in turn help NASA develop practical exercise regimens for future deep space missions. Additionally, this investigation could help improve the design of exercise equipment used to prevent or treat bone, muscle, and cardiovascular health on Earth.
In addition to the Zero-T2 study, NASA will select select crew members to conduct other research during the mission supported by the agency's Human Research Program. Crew members participating in the study will undergo physical examinations, provide biological samples, and document spaceflight-related injuries, among other tasks.
"Astronauts choose which studies to participate in based on their interests, and these experiments address important risks and gaps associated with human spaceflight," explained Cherie Oubre, a NASA scientist at Johnson Space Center in Houston who helps oversee human research conducted on the space station.
A set of experiments called CIPHER (Integrated Protocol Supplement for Human Exploration Research) will help researchers understand how the body's multiple systems adapt to different task durations. CIPHER research members will complete vision assessments, cognitive tests and MRI scans to help gain a clearer understanding of how the entire body is affected by space.
"The CIPHER experiment tracks changes in the eyes, bones, heart, muscles, immune system and more," Oubre said. "This investigation is the most comprehensive overview yet of how long-duration spaceflight affects the entire human body, helping us advance human exploration to the moon, Mars and elsewhere."
Some crew members will also contribute to a core set of measurements called Space Flight Standard Measurements. These measurements show how the human body and psyche adapt to space travel over time and inform other spaceflight research, such as CIPHER. In addition, crew members can provide biological samples for the Omics Archive, a separate study analyzing how the human body responds to long-duration spaceflight at a molecular level.
In another study, some astronauts will test a potential treatment for spaceflight-related neuro-ocular syndrome, which is associated with brain changes and swelling in the back of the eye. Researchers don't yet know what causes the syndrome or why only certain astronauts develop it, but the shift of body fluids toward the head during weightlessness may be one reason. Some scientists believe that genes related to how the body processes B vitamins may influence how astronauts respond to fluid transfers. Astronauts participating in the study will test whether daily supplementation with B vitamins can alleviate or prevent symptoms. They will also study whether wearing handcuffs on astronauts' thighs to keep their legs hydrated is an effective intervention.
Upon return, the selected astronauts will complete a survey documenting any discomfort or injuries related to the landing, such as scrapes and bruises. The results of the investigation, combined with data acquired by sensors in the vehicle, will help researchers classify these injuries and improve the design of the spacecraft.
Crew members begin participating in the study about a year before the mission, learning about their work and providing baseline health data. They will continue to provide data for the experiment for two years after returning home.
NASA's Human Research Program explores the best ways to keep astronauts safe, healthy and mission-ready during space travel. The program explores how spaceflight affects the human mind and body through research in laboratories, ground-based simulations, commercial missions, and the International Space Station. This research is key to developing new technologies and strategies that will support future missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.
Compiled from /ScitechDaily