NASA is joining with two U.S. universities to study methods to reduce the adverse effects of space travel on astronauts’ physical health.
Scientists are conducting a pilot study this month at NASA’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., on the 20-G centrifuge, a machine that creates artificial gravity forces up to 20 times the normal force of gravity experienced on Earth.
The 20-G Centrifuge is our largest facility certified for use by humans, said Jeff Smith, a manager in the Life Sciences Division at Ames. Its capabilities make it a unique NASA resource and a very versatile research tool that is ideal for developing health-maintenance activities for astronauts.
Research conducted using the 20-G centrifuge helps scientists understand how astronauts cope with long-term exposure to the low gravity of space or other planets and readjust to Earth’s gravity, when they return home.
Scientists at NASA, the University of Kentucky and Vanderbilt University will study the effects of exercise and artificial gravity on cardiovascular responses and fluid shifts within the body.
The research will help determine what combinations of exercise and exposure to increased gravity effectively counters the changes that occur during space travel.