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Journal articles on the topic 'Astronauts'
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1
Lin, Lingjie, Lan Wang, Ying Chang, Lixun Zhang, and Feng Xue. "6-Dimensional Virtual Human‐Machine Interaction Force Estimation Algorithm in Astronaut Virtual Training." Machines 11, no. 1 (January 1, 2023): 46. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/machines11010046.
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It is necessary to conduct virtual training for astronauts on the ground to improve the efficiency and safety of astronauts carrying objects in space. Cooperation between the two astronauts is required when handling massive objects. During this process, it is necessary to obtain the operating force of each astronaut. The research purpose of this paper was to propose an algorithm to map the astronaut’s operation on the VR handle to the human–machine interaction force without the robot’s participation, thereby saving costs. In this paper, a virtual robot simulation model is established, while the controller is designed based on the inverse system method. The virtual human–machine interaction force was obtained based on the inverse dynamics method. The influence of different parameters on the final position of the virtual object was analyzed. The physical engine was integrated into the virtual force sensor to ensure that the human–machine interaction forces of multiple astronauts can be coupled. The results showed that the virtual human–machine interaction force is similar to the real one and has a low output noise (approximately 5.5 N). This force can be applied to astronaut collaborative virtual training.
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Reynolds, Robert J., and Steven M. Day. "Mortality of US astronauts: comparisons with professional athletes." Occupational and Environmental Medicine 76, no. 2 (December 4, 2018): 114–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2018-105304.
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ObjectiveStudies of mortality among US astronauts are complicated by the healthy worker effect, which predicts lower mortality for astronauts than the general population based solely on the ability to become and remain an astronaut. We attempt to evaluate astronaut mortality risk while accounting for the healthy worker effect.MethodsWe compare mortality rates of male US astronauts with those of professional athletes from Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association between January 1, 1960 and May 31, 2018.ResultsBoth athlete cohorts and astronauts had significantly lower-than-expected mortality in comparison with the general population. For the overall study period, there were no significant differences in all-cause mortality rates between astronauts and athletes. Astronauts were at greater risk of death from external causes (SMR=583; 95% CI 377 to 860) and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease (SMR=39; 95% CI 18 to 73) and all natural causes (SMR=67; 95% CI 47 to 93).ConclusionsThe data presented here do not support increased mortality for astronauts due to unique exposures received in space. The mortality experience of astronauts as compared with professional baseball and basketball players should be re-examined periodically as part of the ongoing surveillance of astronaut mortality in years to come.
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Kolomiitsev, Oleksii, Volodymyr Komarov, Oleh Dmitriiev, Volodymyr Pustovarov, and Ruslan Oliinyk. "EXPERIMENTAL UNIT FOR DETERMINING BODY WEIGHT OF ASTRONAUTS AND LIGHT-WEIGHT OBJECTS IN ZERO-GRAVITY CONDITIONS." Advanced Information Systems 6, no. 3 (September 14, 2022): 92–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.20998/2522-9052.2022.3.12.
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The transition of an astronaut into zero gravity leads to a certain restructuring of the body, including the redistribution of fluid flows in it. The process of dehydration of the body is stimulated, the astronaut loses weight. Knowledge of the regularities of changes in an astronaut's body weight, keeping it within normal limits thanks to a rational load distribution, rest, physical exercises, and a well-thought-out diet are extremely necessary in order to provide the astronaut with the most favorable conditions for adaptation in zero gravity, as well as to better prepare him for his return to Earth. Returning materials for scientific research and experiments, as well as equipment, from the space station to Earth also requires high-precision determination of the low weight of objects. The object of the research is an experimental unit that allows measuring the weight (parameters) of the astronaut’s body and the small weight of objects (equipment, devices, etc.) that oscillate. The subject of research is the frequency of natural oscillations of the dynamic system. The purpose of scientific work is the development of an experimental unit for determining the weight of the astronaut’s body and the low weight of objects in zero gravity. Conclusions. An experimental setup for determining the body weight of astronauts and the low weight of objects (control objects – СО) in zero gravity is proposed. For high-precision determination of the weight of the СО in zero gravity, the natural frequency (NF) was chosen as a diagnostic parameter. In the experimental installation, the weight of the OC is determined by changing the NF of the dynamic system "control object – moving anchor" depending on the attached weight of the СO. The essence of the work of the experimental unit is revealed, and its general appearance and structural scheme are presented.
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Jin, Jeonghwan, and Ling Rothrock. "A Visualization Framework for Bounding Physical Activities — Towards a Quantification of Gibsonian-Based Fields." Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 49, no. 3 (September 2005): 397–401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/154193120504900339.
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In a human-robot communications problem in which a mobile robot and an astronaut are required to work together to maintain network communication, it is possible for the mobile robot and the astronaut to have multiple courses of actions to restore communications if it becomes disrupted. To effectively accomplish a team's mission, a human supervisor responsible for monitoring and supervising the terrestrial activities of mobile robots and astronauts in this domain needs useful decision aiding tools in order to identify productive courses of action. Motivated by this, we propose a visualization framework based on Gibsonian-based fields for representing a mobile robot and an astronaut's possible action strategies to maintain their network communication in a continuous and dynamic environment and for graphically representing bounds on actualized action strategies of the robot and the astronaut based on their possible action strategies. The authors submit that it is not sufficient simply to calculate all the possible actions of the mobile robot and the astronaut. It is equally important to provide interfaces that reveal affordances in the domain in a manner that delineates the length and breadth of action opportunities and human perceptual and physical capabilities. We present a simple conceptualization of the problem of robot-astronaut communication in order to develop a framework for analysis that can be generalized to multiple robots and astronauts communicating to meet multiple objectives.
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Brzostek, Dariusz. "Constructing African future: Africa and African people in Polish science fiction of the socialist era." Przegląd Kulturoznawczy, no. 3 (49) (2021): 479–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.4467/20843860pk.21.033.14353.
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The paper’s main objective is to analyse the visions of an African future in the Polish Socialist Era science fiction. Speculative fiction played an important part in the cultural landscape of socialist Poland, being integral to the popular culture as well as to communist propaganda. The image of a communist future was a major motif in the early Socialist Era science fiction narratives and also the impressive political forecast of the final worldwide triumph of the Communist Party. These narratives also included some interesting examples of the African future and the African people in the futuristic communist world: the Black communist and astronaut, Hannibal Smith, as the main character of The Astronauts [Astronauci, 1951] by Stanisław Lem; the African astronauts in The Magellanic Cloud [Obłok Magellana, 1955] by Stanisław Lem and the story of the African slaves’ rebelion against the capitalists on the space station Celestia in the novel by Krzysztof Boruńand Andrzej Trepka The Lost Future [Zagubiona przyszłość, 1953]. Lem’s novels were also adapter into films: The Magellanic Cloud as The Voyage to the End of the Universe (Ikarie XB-1, 1963, directed by Jindřich Polák), The Astronauts as First Spaceship on Venus (Der schweigende Stern, 1960, directed by Kurt Maetzig) – in which the Nigerian actor, Julius Ongewe, appeared as a very first African astronaut in the history of cinema.
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Komiyama, T. "Practicalities of dose management for Japanese astronauts staying at the International Space Station." Annals of the ICRP 49, no. 1_suppl (September 24, 2020): 194–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0146645320944278.
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Japanese astronauts started staying at the International Space Station (ISS) in 2009, with each stay lasting for approximately 6 months. In total, seven Japanese astronauts have stayed at the ISS eight times. As there is no law for protection against space radiation exposure of astronauts in Japan, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) created its own rules and has applied them successfully to radiation exposure management for Japanese ISS astronauts, collaborating with ISS international partners. Regarding dose management, JAXA has implemented several dose limits to protect against both the stochastic effects of radiation and dose-dependent tissue reactions. The scope of the rules includes limiting exposure during spaceflight, exposure during several types of training, and exposure from astronaut-specific medical examinations. We, therefore, are tasked with calculating the dose from all exposure types applied to the dose limits annually for each astronaut. Whenever a Japanese astronaut is at the ISS, we monitor readings of an instrument in real-time to confirm that the exposed dose is below the set limits, as the space radiation environment can fluctuate in relation to solar activity.
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Jain, Varsha, Robert Ploutz-Snyder, Millennia Young, Jacqueline M. Charvat, and Virginia E. Wotring. "Potential Venous Thromboembolism Risk in Female Astronauts." Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance 91, no. 5 (May 1, 2020): 432–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.3357/amhp.5458.2020.
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BACKGROUND: Whether the unique environment of space affects astronaut risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is not known. On Earth, it is known that use of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) doubles the risk of VTE. Since some female astronauts choose to use COCs, this retrospective study examined known risk factors associated with VTE risk to determine whether the available data suggested elevated VTE risk in female astronauts.METHODS: Longitudinal health data were requested for female astronauts who flew short and long duration missions between 2000 and 2014. Pre- and postflight hematological and biochemical blood markers were available and evaluated. Astronauts’ postflight measurements were compared to clinically relevant terrestrial high risk levels to determine any trend toward increased risk for VTE following spaceflight. Secondarily, a comparison of pre- and postflight changes was made, as well as an assessment of COC impact.RESULTS: A total of 38 astronaut-flights were included in this study and no VTE events were found. Analysis of potential VTE risk factors showed no evidence suggesting elevated VTE risk in female astronauts associated with spaceflight, regardless of contraceptive use.DISCUSSION: Arguably, all astronauts encounter many physiological stressors during spaceflight missions, but women using the combined contraceptive pill add a known risk factor for VTE. The risk factors analyzed within this study showed no trend toward an increased risk of VTE for female astronauts. This study provides an evidence base supporting the safety of COC use by female astronauts and also reinforces the importance of healthy lifestyle on VTE risk reduction.Jain V, Ploutz-Snyder R, Young M, Charvat JM, Wotring VE. Potential venous thromboembolism risk in female astronauts. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(5):432–439.
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Fiqhri, Zul. "PETUALANGAN ASTRONOT DALAM KARYA SENI ILUSTRASI DIGITAL." DESKOVI : Art and Design Journal 1, no. 1 (December 1, 2018): 41. http://dx.doi.org/10.51804/deskovi.v1i1.288.
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Tulisan ini membahas mengenai bagaimana petualangan astronot dalam proses penjelajahan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Astronout dipilih karena pelukis menganggap bahwa astronot adalah petualang yang mencoba untuk mebuka tabir kehidupan lain yang ada di jagat raya, astronot adalah manusia yang berani untuk maju menyelami pengetahuan akan dunia luar yang belum di jamah oleh manusia pada umumnya. Tulisan ini akan membahas tentang karya ilustrasi astronot dalam petualangan untuk mengupas arti di balik kehidupan sehari-hari.This article discusses how the astronauts adventures in the process of exploration in everyday life. Astronauts are chosen because painters consider astronauts to be adventurers who try to open another veil of life in the universe, astronauts are human beings who dare to advance to explore a knowledge from outside world that has not been recognized by humans in general. This paper will discuss the work of astronaut illustrations in adventures to explore the meaning behind everyday life.
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Li, Lailu, Lixun Zhang, Bing Wang, Feng Xue, Yupeng Zou, and Da Song. "Running Experimental Research of a Cable-Driven Astronaut on-Orbit Physical Exercise Equipment." Machines 10, no. 5 (May 16, 2022): 377. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/machines10050377.
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Manned spaceflight has already become an important approach to space science exploration, while long-term exposure to the microgravity environment will lead to severe health problems for astronauts, including bone loss, muscle atrophy, and cardiovascular function decline. In order to mitigate or eliminate those negative influences, this paper presents a cable-driven exercise equipment that can be applied in a microgravity environment to render multi-functional on-orbit physical exercise modes for astronauts. First, the structure of cable module and the configuration of the equipment were proposed. Second, a two-level controller was provided, including the cable tension distribution algorithm and tension controller of the cable module. A safety protection strategy was proposed to ensure the safety of the astronaut. Furthermore, simulation and running experiment studies of the equipment were conducted, the results demonstrate that the load force of the equipment could achieve a high-level accuracy, and the exercise status of the astronaut could be monitored and protected in the meantime. Therefore, physical exercises could be carried out by the assistance of the equipment to keep astronauts in good shape on-orbit.
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Black, F. Owen, William H. Paloski, Millard F. Reschke, Makoto Igarashi, Fred Guedry, and David J. Anderson. "Disruption of postural readaptation by inertial stimuli following space flight*." Journal of Vestibular Research 9, no. 5 (October 1, 1999): 369–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/ves-1999-9506.
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Postural instability (relative to pre-flight) has been observed in all shuttle astronauts studied upon return from orbital missions. Postural stability was more closely examined in four shuttle astronaut subjects before and after an 8 day orbital mission. Results of the pre- and post- flight postural stability studies were compared with a larger ( n = 34) study of astronauts returning from shuttle missions of similar duration. Results from both studies indicated that inadequate vestibular feedback was the most significant sensory deficit contributing to the postural instability observed post flight. For two of the four IML-1 astronauts, post-flight postural instability and rate of recovery toward their earth-normal performance matched the performance of the larger sample. However, post-flight postural control in one returning astronaut was substantially below mean performance. This individual, who was within normal limits with respect to postural control before the mission, indicated that recovery to pre-flight postural stability was also interrupted by a post-flight pitch plane rotation test. A similar, though less extreme departure from the mean recovery trajectory was present in another astronaut following the same post-flight rotation test. The pitch plane rotation stimuli included otolith stimuli in the form of both transient tangential and constant centripetal linear acceleration components. We inferred from these findings that adaptation on orbit and re-adaptation on earth involved a change in sensorimotor integration of vestibular signals most likely from the otolith organs.
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Lamb, Wally. "Astronauts." Missouri Review 12, no. 2 (1989): 7–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/mis.1989.0068.
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Chen, Hao, and Dong Xu Li. "Dynamic Modeling and Analysis of Astronauts’ Exercise during Spaceflight." Advanced Materials Research 569 (September 2012): 576–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.569.576.
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Astronauts’ exercise during spaceflight will bring low-frequency disturbance to the spacecraft. In order to analyze the corresponding dynamic effects on the spacecraft, an astronaut-cycle ergometer-spacecraft system is taken as an example. The dynamic model is established in this paper. The topological structure of the astronaut-cycle ergometer-spacecraft system is given and equalized to an open tree system. Utilizing recursive relation of displacement and velocity between connected units, equations of motion of the system are reduced to the spacecraft. Simulation implies astronauts’ exercise will result in rotational drift of the spacecraft. Meanwhile, the microgravity environment is heavily destroyed. Compare with traditional modeling method, our method is more accurate as it considers dynamic coupling effects. The simulation results can be considered as a reference to the control system and it also reveal changes of microgravity environment.
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Mortazavi, Alireza, Helia Yarbaksh, Batool Faegheh Bahaaddini Baigy Zarandi, Reza Yarbakhsh, Fatemeh Ghadimi-Moghaddam, Syed Mohammad Javad Mortazavi, Masoud Haghani, Donya Firoozi, and Lembit Sihver. "Cultivation of Vitamin C-Rich Vegetables for Space-Radiation Mitigation." Radiation 4, no. 1 (March 8, 2024): 101–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/radiation4010008.
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Space exploration introduces astronauts to challenges, such as space radiation and microgravity. Researchers have investigated vitamin C as a potential radiation mitigator, as well as antioxidants for sustaining astronaut health. Our own studies demonstrate vitamin C’s life-saving radioprotective effects and its potential as a radiation mitigator, thus highlighting promise, even when administered 24 h post-exposure. This is particularly relevant in scenarios where astronauts may be exposed to sudden large solar particle events, potentially resulting in lethal doses of space radiation. The success of vegetable cultivation on the International Space Station using NASA’s Veggie system offers fresh, vitamin C-rich food. While approved supplements address somatic function, further research is needed to optimize vitamin C’s efficacy in humans, and to develop appropriate antioxidant cocktails for space missions. The variable vitamin C content in vegetables underscores the necessity for the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist astronauts in selecting and cultivating the vitamin C-rich vegetables best-suited to combat high levels of space radiation and microgravity. Particularly, AI algorithms can be utilized to analyze various factors, such as nutritional content, growth patterns, and cultivation methods. In conclusion, vitamin C shows significant potential for mitigating space radiation, and ongoing research aims to enhance astronaut health through optimal dietary strategies.
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Zhang, Qi, Cheng Zhao, Li Fan, and Yulin Zhang. "Taikobot: A Full-Size and Free-Flying Humanoid Robot for Intravehicular Astronaut Assistance and Spacecraft Housekeeping." Machines 10, no. 10 (October 13, 2022): 933. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/machines10100933.
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This paper proposes a full-size and free-flying humanoid robot named Taikobot that aims to assist astronauts in a space station and maintain spacecrafts between human visits. Taikobot adopts a compact and lightweight (∼25 kg) design to work in microgravity, which also reduces launch costs and improves safety during human–robot collaboration. Taikobot’s anthropomorphic dual arm system and zero-g legs allow it to share a set of intravehicular human–machine interfaces. Unlike ground-walking robots, Taikobot maneuvers in a novel push–flight–park (PFP) strategy as an equivalent astronaut in a space station to maximize workspace and flexibility. We propose a PFP motion planning and control method based on centroidal dynamics and multi-contact model. Based on the proposed method, we carried out extensive simulations and verified the feasibility and advantages of the novel locomotion strategy. We also developed a prototype of Taikobot and carried out several ground experiments on typical scenarios where the robot collaborates with human astronauts. The experiments show that Taikobot can do some simple and repetitive tasks along with astronauts and has the potential to help astronauts improve their onboard working efficiency.
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Sparks, Sarah L., Haley J. Hardwick, and Ranjana K. Mehta. "The Effects of Fatigue and Cognitive Tasks on Neurocognitive Outcomes during Orthostatic Challenge." Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 61, no. 1 (September 2017): 1758. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1541931213601920.
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Orthostatic challenge (OC), also known as orthostatic hypertension, is a blood pressure drop that results in pooling of blood in the lower extremities leading to oxygen deprivation in the brain, impairing neurovestibular functions which are critical for determining the position and motion of the head, and therefore the rest of the body; these functions are necessary for an astronaut to perform their job (Mark & Heldt, 2005). Acute orthostatic intolerance is a change in blood flow pressure that affects 64% of astronauts on short-range missions and 80% of astronauts on long-range missions. Orthostatic challenge is encountered when astronauts return from the microgravity of space to the gravity of the earth’s atmosphere, this transition can alter physiological responses, which can worsen with fatigue and have a detrimental effect on performance of critical piloting tasks. The existing countermeasures utilized to lessen the impact of orthostatic intolerance are primarily focused around health promotion. Before the flight begins, astronauts are trained for improved physical fitness with an emphasis on aerobic exercises to maintain optimal cardiac function (Convertino, 2002). The objective of this study was to discern the types of cognitive functions affected by fatigue that should be studied further, starting with measurements of the psychomotor tasks needed for control, maneuvering, and the demands of high-level cognitive skills required for space flight. Data from this study would allow for greater exploration of the neural correlates of cognitive stressors that are encountered during OC especially under the fatigued conditions of long-range space flight. If fatigue does adversely affect neural correlates of performance during OC, then the types of cognitive stressors placed on the subject will influence that relationship and should be explored further to develop different training protocols for better countermeasures to assist astronauts with the transition out of microgravity. Sixteen college-aged athletes (8 M, 8 F) were recruited for this study. Participation in the study was limited to the university athletic groups to represent highly physically fit individuals. A two-way repeated measures design was employed to test the interactive effects of physical fatigue (control versus fatigue) and cognitive task (mental arithmetic versus psychomotor tracking) on neurocognitive outcomes during orthostatic challenge. In the fatigue condition, participants were physically fatigued for one hour prior to undergoing the orthostatic challenge to simulate the fatigued condition experienced by astronauts. We found that the presence of fatigue adversely affected participant’s ability to perform the psychomotor countermeasure tasks, over mental arithmetic, during short duration OC. The fatigued state was evident in the changes seen in the monitoring tools; heart rate and heart rate variability and PFC oxygenated hemoglobin levels. The inability to utilize countermeasures leaves astronauts vulnerable and potentially unable to overcome the orthostatic challenge during the transition from microgravity to gravity with an inability to combat fatigue with the countermeasures utilized. Findings obtained here with help identify the nature and extent to which fatigue impacts an astronaut’s ability to employ countermeasures used to combat orthostatic challenge and how effective those countermeasures will be in the fatigued state. These findings can provide the rationale for developing different countermeasures that are less susceptible to fatigue as well as new training and physical interventions for astronauts to employ while they are in space flight to better combat the cumulative effects of extended exposure to microgravity.
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Braun, Nicole, Berit Hunsdieck, Carmen Theek, Katja Ickstadt, and Ulrike Heinrich. "Exercises and Skin Physiology During International Space Station Expeditions." Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance 92, no. 3 (March 1, 2021): 160–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.3357/amhp.5717.2021.
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BACKGROUND: The first skin physiological pilot experiment (SkinA) on a single astronaut showed a deterioration of the skin. In a follow-up experiment (SkinB) we showed that skin physiological parameters improved on average. However, it is well known that sports have positive effects on the skin, that astronauts prefer special sports devices, and do sports with different intensity. The aim of this study was to analyze the different sports activities of SkinB astronauts and to find out whether they have an influence on the skin physiological parameters.METHODS: The cumulative distance covered on the treadmill and on the cycle ergometer as well as the repetition of arm-related exercises have been calculated and possible correlation between sports activities and skin physiological parameters have been analyzed.RESULTS: The average distance covered for all six astronauts per day is 1364 AU on the treadmill T2, and 11,077 AU on the cycle ergometer CEVIS. In addition, the astronauts performed an average of about 73 repetitions of all arm-related exercises daily. Here, we were able to show very well how differently the astronauts on the ISS train. In addition, a decreasing trend in skin volume can be observed in astronauts with increasing activity on the bicycle and more repetitions on arm-related exercises.CONCLUSION: Increased activity on the cycle ergometer and increased arm-related exercises have a medium negative impact on the parameter skin volume and thus reflects more fluid content in the skin. No correlations between sports activities and skin moisture/skin barrier function could be found.Braun N, Hunsdieck B, Theek C, Ickstadt K, Heinrich U.Exercises and skin physiology during International Space Station expeditions. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(3):160166.
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Jaster, J. Howard, and Giulia Ottaviani. "Gravitational Ischemia in the Brain: How Interfering with Its Release May Predispose to Either Alzheimer’s- or Parkinson’s-like Illness, Treatable with Hyperbaric Oxygen." Physiologia 3, no. 4 (October 4, 2023): 510–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/physiologia3040037.
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The physiological mechanisms for releasing and resolving gravitational ischemia in the brain, and their susceptibility to malfunction, may play an important role in a variety of neurological illnesses. An astronaut on a space walk in a micro-gravity environment may be susceptible to neuro-ocular symptoms associated with unopposed gravity-resistance mechanisms for partially preventing gravitational ischemia in the brain, and for attenuating its impact—mechanisms which may be required for normal brain physiology on Earth. Astronauts on the International Space Station typically breathe a mixture of gasses similar in composition to what they breathed on Earth, following the 1967 death of three astronauts, including Ed White, by fire on the Apollo 1 spacecraft, which was carrying 100% oxygen. For the last decade, astronauts have been studied extensively by flight physicians regarding the commonly experienced symptoms of VIIP, or ‘visual impairment and intracranial pressure’ syndrome. In this paper, we compare VIIP syndrome to the neuro-ocular and Parkinson’s-like symptoms which occurred during and after the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic. The common denominator may be gravitational ischemia in the brain, and the mirror-imaging failed mechanisms for its release (in influenza) versus unopposed gravity-resistance mechanisms (in astronauts). Some research has suggested that astronauts may benefit from breathing oxygen concentrations somewhat higher than 20%, and under slightly elevated pressure. These may possibly prevent maladaptive mechanisms leading to Alzheimer’s- or Parkinson’s-like illness by compensating for impaired mechanisms for releasing and resolving gravitational ischemia in the brain.
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Sugita, Takashi, Takashi Yamazaki, Otomi Cho, Satoshi Furukawa, and Chiaki Mukai. "The skin mycobiome of an astronaut during a 1-year stay on the International Space Station." Medical Mycology 59, no. 1 (August 24, 2020): 106–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mmy/myaa067.
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Abstract Analysis of the skin mycobiome of an astronaut during a 1-year stay on the International Space Station (ISS) revealed an increased relative abundance of Malassezia restricta and level of Malassezia colonization, and the presence of Cyberlindnera jadinii and Candida boidinii, uncommon skin mycobiome taxa. Similar observations were made in astronauts during a 6-month stay on the ISS (Med Mycol. 2016; 54: 232–239). Future plans for extended space travel should consider the effect of high levels of Malassezia colonization over long periods on astronauts’ skin, and the abnormal proliferation of uncommon microorganisms that may occur in closed environments such as the ISS.
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Patarin-Jossec, Julie. "The Politics of Heroes’ Body: Ethnographying the Training of Foreign Astronauts in Russia." Corpus Mundi 1, no. 2 (July 13, 2020): 14–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.46539/cmj.v1i2.12.
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If the literature in the history of the Soviet space program is extremely prolific since the 1960s, including regarding cosmonaut embodiment, a lack remains regarding the contemporary reality of human spaceflight in Russia. As this article discusses, based on interviews and a long-term ethnography of the Russian training of astronauts from Western Europe, North America, and Japan, becoming an astronaut is to develop a legitimate body fitting dominant cultural and gendered models. Three mechanisms serve the manufacture of “heroes” and masculine bodies through the astronaut training: the historical narrative of human spaceflight; the values and virility attributes embed as part of the training; and the instruments used in the daily activity of astronauts (such as spacesuits). This manufacture of a legitimate body, characterized by masculinity and discipline inherited from the past, is a heuristic field for corporality and studies of global politics as it underlines how an interweaving of gender, Soviet heritage, and cultural fantasies frames the bodies of a professional elite.
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Mukhin, O. "Psychological portrait of astronaut in modern American space fiction films of XXI century." Culture of Ukraine, no. 77 (September 28, 2022): 51–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.31516/2410-5325.077.06.
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This paper discloses a general psychological portrait of astronaut, which is shown in latest American space fiction films of XXI century. The purpose of this article is to find the most typical psychological features of astronauts, which are presented in films “Interstellar” (2014, director — K. Nolan), “The Martian” (2015, director — R. Scott), “Ad Astra“ (2019, director — J. Gray).
The methodology of this article includes the using of axiological, systematic and comparative methods. Each of these methods helps to discover three important moral traits, which form the astronaut’s nature and personality.
The results of this article are a primary investment to the researches, which are dedicated to the modern era of American cinema space fiction.
The scientific novelty of this work lies in systematic review of American space fiction films, which belong to modern and actual realistic vector of storytelling, where the space fiction genre realizes it’s development nowadays.
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Hu, Hong, Jian Gang Chao, and Zai Qian Zhao. "Study of Vision-Based Hand Gesture Recognition System for Astronaut Virtual Training." Advanced Materials Research 998-999 (July 2014): 1062–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.998-999.1062.
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With the fast development of vision-based hand gesture recognition, it is possible to apply the technology to astronaut virtual training. In order to solve problems of hand gesture recognition in future virtual training and to provide an unrestricted natural training for astronauts, this paper proposed a vision-based hand gesture recognition method, and implemented a hierarchical gesture recognition system to provide a gesture-driven interactive interface for astronaut virtual training system. The experiment results showed that this recognition system can be used to help astronaut training.
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Lv, Mingbo, Xiaopeng Li, Yunhua Li, Wei Zhang, and Rui Guo. "UKF-Based State Estimation for Electrolytic Oxygen Generation System of Space Station." Applied Sciences 11, no. 5 (February 25, 2021): 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app11052021.
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Electrolytic oxygen generation system (EOGS) is the only system that can provide oxygen for astronauts in a physicochemical regenerative way in a long-term manned spacecraft. In order to ensure that the astronauts in the cabin can obtain a continuous and enough oxygen supply, it is necessary to carry out real-time condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of the EOGS. This paper deals with condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of the EOGS. Firstly, the dynamic model of the system is established based on the principle electrolysis for actual oxygen production system and the state observer of the system has been designed by using unscented Kalman filter (UKF). The total pressure in the cabin and the partial pressure of oxygen in the electrolytic cell can be observed. Then, considered the actual conditions of the manned space mission with one more astronaut, i.e., 3 astronauts, the simulation experiment is carried out. The simulation results show that the method can effectively estimate the system state, and it is of great significance to ensure the normal operation of the electrolytic EOGS system in the space station.
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Siddiqui, Ruqaiyyah, Rizwan Qaisar, Nandu Goswami, Naveed Ahmed Khan, and Adel Elmoselhi. "Effect of Microgravity Environment on Gut Microbiome and Angiogenesis." Life 11, no. 10 (September 24, 2021): 1008. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life11101008.
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Microgravity environments are known to cause a plethora of stressors to astronauts. Recently, it has become apparent that gut microbiome composition of astronauts is altered following space travel, and this is of significance given the important role of the gut microbiome in human health. Other changes observed in astronauts comprise reduced muscle strength and bone fragility, visual impairment, endothelial dysfunction, metabolic changes, behavior changes due to fatigue or stress and effects on mental well-being. However, the effects of microgravity on angiogenesis, as well as the connection with the gut microbiome are incompletely understood. Here, the potential association of angiogenesis with visual impairment, skeletal muscle and gut microbiome is proposed and explored. Furthermore, metabolites that are effectors of angiogenesis are deliberated upon along with their connection with gut bacterial metabolites. Targeting and modulating the gut microbiome may potentially have a profound influence on astronaut health, given its impact on overall human health, which is thus warranted given the likelihood of increased human activity in the solar system, and the determination to travel to Mars in future missions.
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Greenleaf, J. E., R. Bulbulian, E. M. Bernauer, W. L. Haskell, and T. Moore. "Exercise-training protocols for astronauts in microgravity." Journal of Applied Physiology 67, no. 6 (December 1, 1989): 2191–204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1989.67.6.2191.
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The question of the composition of exercise protocols for use by astronauts in microgravity is unresolved. Based on our knowledge of physical working requirements for astronauts during intra- and extravehicular activity and on the findings from bed-rest studies that utilized exercise training as a countermeasure for the reduction of aerobic power, deterioration of muscular strength and endurance, decrements in mood and cognitive performance, and possibly for bone loss, two exercise protocols are proposed. One assumes that, during microgravity, astronaut exercise physiological functions should be maintained at 100% of ground-based levels; the other assumes that maximal aerobic power in flight can be reduced by 10% of the ground-based level. A recommended prescription for in-flight prevention or partial suppression of calcium (bone) loss cannot be written until further research findings are obtained that elucidate the site, the magnitude, and the mechanism of the changes. Hopefully these proposed exercise prescriptions will stimulate further research and discussion resulting in even more efficient protocols that will help ensure the optimal health and well-being of our astronauts.
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Zhang, Qi, Li Fan, and Yulin Zhang. "Simultaneous Astronaut Accompanying and Visual Navigation in Semi-Structured and Dynamic Intravehicular Environment." Drones 6, no. 12 (December 6, 2022): 397. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/drones6120397.
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The application of intravehicular robotic assistants (IRA) can save valuable working hours for astronauts in space stations. There are various types of IRA, such as an accompanying drone working in microgravity and a dexterous humanoid robot for collaborative operations. In either case, the ability to navigate and work along with human astronauts lays the foundation for their deployment. To address this problem, this paper proposes the framework of simultaneous astronaut accompanying and visual navigation. The framework contains a customized astronaut detector, an intravehicular navigation system, and a probabilistic model for astronaut visual tracking and motion prediction. The customized detector is designed to be lightweight and has achieved superior performance (AP@0.5 of 99.36%) for astronaut detection in diverse postures and orientations during intravehicular activities. A map-based visual navigation method is proposed for accurate and 6DoF localization (1~2 cm, 0.5°) in semi-structured environments. To ensure the robustness of navigation in dynamic scenes, feature points within the detected bounding boxes are filtered out. The probabilistic model is formulated based on the map-based navigation system and the customized astronaut detector. Both trajectory correlation and geometric similarity clues are incorporated into the model for stable visual tracking and trajectory estimation of the astronaut. The overall framework enables the robotic assistant to track and distinguish the served astronaut efficiently during intravehicular activities and to provide foresighted service while in locomotion. The overall performance and superiority of the proposed framework are verified through extensive ground experiments in a space-station mockup.
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Dobrovolsky, Viktor. "Recommendations Development for the Food Use while Forming 16-Day Menu Food Ration for Astronauts." Food Industry 4, no. 4 (December 19, 2019): 77–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.29141/2500-1922-2019-4-4-9.
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Nutrition is extremely important in everyday life. And in extreme conditions, its role increases dramatically. Specific factors of a space flight have an adverse effect on the human body. One of the ways to prevent negative physiological changes is adequate nutrition to the needs of the body, ensuring the preservation of health and efficiency of astronauts performing unique scientific experiments and solving problems of national economic importance. A man developed a 16-day Russian ration because of the astronaut nutrition transition to rations from domestic products instead of the integrated 16-day Russian-American ration. Nowadays much attention is paid to the new products development and the food rations adjustment for the crews of the Russian ISS segment. Scientists are constantly developing new types of food and including it in the astronaut ration, considering existing Federal laws, regulations and state industry standards. They run an expert and hygienic expertise of the adjusted main part of the astronaut ration with the conclusion issuance on the food products compliance with the agreed norms of the "Decision on Admission" to supply products for a 16-day ration. The main part adjustment of the 16-day ration, which includes products of industrial production (the main part of the ration), became necessary in connection with the comments and suggestions made by the astronauts. Researchers developed recipes and production technologies of the new first lunch freeze-drying dishes of two-name titles. Therefore, they made some changes; developed new specifications, technical instructions and new recipes for sauces sublimation, as well as experimental sublimation products batches of three name earlier titles; carried preliminary and acceptance tests of its storage. There were preliminary and acceptance tests of 13 product items for astronauts.
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Gaffney, Owen. "The Astronauts." Books Ireland, no. 199 (1996): 326. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/20623330.
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Goldin, Tamara. "Astronauts overexposed." Nature Geoscience 7, no. 12 (November 27, 2014): 858. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2314.
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Swinbanks, David. "Wanted: astronauts." Nature 352, no. 6337 (August 1991): 651. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/352651e0.
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Rosenthal, Mark. "Geriatric astronauts." American Journal of Medicine 80, no. 5 (May 1986): 763. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(86)90612-1.
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Hart, David A. "Homo sapiens—A Species Not Designed for Space Flight: Health Risks in Low Earth Orbit and Beyond, Including Potential Risks When Traveling beyond the Geomagnetic Field of Earth." Life 13, no. 3 (March 10, 2023): 757. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life13030757.
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Homo sapiens and their predecessors evolved in the context of the boundary conditions of Earth, including a 1 g gravity and a geomagnetic field (GMF). These variables, plus others, led to complex organisms that evolved under a defined set of conditions and define how humans will respond to space flight, a circumstance that could not have been anticipated by evolution. Over the past ~60 years, space flight and living in low Earth orbit (LEO) have revealed that astronauts are impacted to varying degrees by such new environments. In addition, it has been noted that astronauts are quite heterogeneous in their response patterns, indicating that such variation is either silent if one remained on Earth, or the heterogeneity unknowingly contributes to disease development during aging or in response to insults. With the planned mission to deep space, humans will now be exposed to further risks from radiation when traveling beyond the influence of the GMF, as well as other potential risks that are associated with the actual loss of the GMF on the astronauts, their microbiomes, and growing food sources. Experimental studies with model systems have revealed that hypogravity conditions can influence a variety biological and physiological systems, and thus the loss of the GMF may have unanticipated consequences to astronauts’ systems, such as those that are electrical in nature (i.e., the cardiovascular system and central neural systems). As astronauts have been shown to be heterogeneous in their responses to LEO, they may require personalized countermeasures, while others may not be good candidates for deep-space missions if effective countermeasures cannot be developed for long-duration missions. This review will discuss several of the physiological and neural systems that are affected and how the emerging variables may influence astronaut health and functioning.
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Afshari, Nousha, Igor Koturbash, Marjan Boerma, Wayne Newhauser, Maria Kratz, Jeffrey Willey, Jacqueline Williams, and Jeffery Chancellor. "A Review of Numerical Models of Radiation Injury and Repair Considering Subcellular Targets and the Extracellular Microenvironment." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 25, no. 2 (January 13, 2024): 1015. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021015.
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Astronauts in space are subject to continuous exposure to ionizing radiation. There is concern about the acute and late-occurring adverse health effects that astronauts could incur following a protracted exposure to the space radiation environment. Therefore, it is vital to consider the current tools and models used to describe and study the organic consequences of ionizing radiation exposure. It is equally important to see where these models could be improved. Historically, radiobiological models focused on how radiation damages nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the role DNA repair mechanisms play in resulting biological effects, building on the hypotheses of Crowther and Lea from the 1940s and 1960s, and they neglected other subcellular targets outside of nuclear DNA. The development of these models and the current state of knowledge about radiation effects impacting astronauts in orbit, as well as how the radiation environment and cellular microenvironment are incorporated into these radiobiological models, aid our understanding of the influence space travel may have on astronaut health. It is vital to consider the current tools and models used to describe the organic consequences of ionizing radiation exposure and identify where they can be further improved.
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Sun, Zeyuan, Hui Li, Zhihong Jiang, Zhenzi Song, Yang Mo, and Marco Ceccarelli. "Prototype Design and Performance Tests of Beijing’s Astronaut Robot." Applied Sciences 8, no. 8 (August 10, 2018): 1342. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app8081342.
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This paper proposes a novel chameleon-like astronaut robot that is designed to assist, or even substitute, a human astronauts in a space station to complete dangerous and prolonged work, such as maintenance of solar panels, and so on. The robot can move outside the space station freely via the hundreds of aluminum handrails, which are provided to help astronauts move. The robot weighs 30 kilograms, and consists of a torso, three identical 4-degree of freedom (DOF) arms, three end effectors, and three monocular vision system on each end effector. Via multi-arm associated motion, the robot can realize three kinds of motion modes: walking, rolling, and sliding. Numerous experiments have been conducted in a simulation environment and a ground verification platform. Experimental results reveal that this robot has excellent motion performance.
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Menger, Richard, Michael Wolf, Jai Deep Thakur, Anil Nanda, and Anthony Martino. "Astronaut Michael Collins, Apollo 8, and the anterior cervical fusion that changed the history of human spaceflight." Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine 31, no. 1 (July 2019): 87–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.3171/2018.11.spine18629.
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In 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared that the United States would send a man to the moon and safely bring him home before the end of the decade. Astronaut Michael Collins was one of those men. He flew to the moon on the historic flight of Apollo 11 while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on its surface. However, this was not supposed to be the case.Astronaut Collins was scheduled to fly on Apollo 8. While training, in 1968, he started developing symptoms of cervical myelopathy. He underwent evaluation at Wilford Hall Air Force Hospital in San Antonio and was noted to have a C5–6 disc herniation and posterior osteophyte on myelography. Air Force Lieutenant General (Dr.) Paul W. Myers performed an anterior cervical discectomy with placement of iliac bone graft. As a result, Astronaut James Lovell took his place on Apollo 8 flying the uncertain and daring first mission to the moon. This had a cascading effect on the rotation of astronauts, placing Michael Collins on the Apollo 11 flight that first landed men on the moon. It also placed Astronaut James Lovell in a rotation that exposed him to be the Commander of the fateful Apollo 13 flight.Here, the authors chronicle the history of Astronaut Collins’ anterior cervical surgery and the impact of his procedure on the rotation of astronaut flight selection, and they review the pivotal historic nature of the Apollo 8 spaceflight. The authors further discuss the ongoing issue of cervical disc herniation among astronauts.
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Tuday, Eric C., Janice V. Meck, Daniel Nyhan, Artin A. Shoukas, and Dan E. Berkowitz. "Microgravity-induced changes in aortic stiffness and their role in orthostatic intolerance." Journal of Applied Physiology 102, no. 3 (March 2007): 853–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00950.2006.
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Microgravity (μG)-induced orthostatic intolerance (OI) in astronauts is characterized by a marked decrease in cardiac output (CO) in response to an orthostatic stress. Since CO is highly dependent on venous return, alterations in the resistance to venous return (RVR) may be important in contributing to OI. The RVR is directly dependent on arterial compliance (Ca), where aortic compliance (Cao) contributes up to 60% of Ca. We tested the hypothesis that μG-induced changes in Ca may represent a protective mechanism against OI. A retrospective analysis on hemodynamic data collected from astronauts after 5- to 18-day spaceflight missions revealed that orthostatically tolerant (OT) astronauts showed a significant decrease in Ca after spaceflight, while OI astronauts showed a slight increase in Ca. A ground-based animal model simulating μG, hindlimb-unweighted rats, was used to explore this phenomenon. Two independent assessments of Cao, in vivo pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the thoracic aorta and in vitro pressure-diameter squared relationship (PDSR) measurements of the excised thoracic aorta, were determined. PWV showed a significant increase in aortic stiffness compared with control, despite unchanged blood pressures. This increase in aortic stiffness was confirmed by the PDSR analysis. Thus both actual μG in humans and simulated μG in rats induces changes in Cao. The difference in Ca in OT and OI astronaut suggests that the μG-induced decrease in Ca is a protective adaptation to spaceflight that reduces the RVR and allows for the maintenance of adequate CO in response to an orthostatic stress.
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Everson, Timothy, Christopher McDermott, Aaron Kain, Cesar Fernandez, and Ben Horan. "Astronaut Training using Virtual Reality in a Neutrally Buoyant Environment." KnE Engineering 2, no. 2 (February 9, 2017): 319. http://dx.doi.org/10.18502/keg.v2i2.632.
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<div><p>Astronauts undergo significant training in preparation for operating in space. In the past governments have been driving space exploration through ventures such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), however more recently new private companies have formed such as SpaceX who are designing commercially viable and reusable spacecraft. As such, the economics of space travel are more important than ever, and there is a logical need to research affordable and effective training procedures for astronauts.</p><p>Virtual Reality (VR) has been shown to be an effective technique for training people to perform high skilled physical tasks such as medical surgery. Research into VR as a platform for training astronauts has shown encouraging results with the implementation of hand tracking data gloves allowing the trainee to interact with the virtual environment. Further, there is evidence that VR can aid in the treatment of phobias with exposure therapy by better preparing the patient for real life exposure. Tactile feedback was found to enhance the treatment. Hence training with VR may help prepare an astronaut for the experience of operating in space through exposure to realistic simulations.</p><p>This paper proposes using existing underwater systems with VR to create a low cost extra vehicular activity (EVA) astronaut training simulation. Incorporation of tactile feedback and methods to track the body, hands and finger flexure, enabling user interaction with the virtual environment was explored. This allows for the creation of a varied neutrally buoyant training environment with a smaller physical space requirement compared to existing methods.</p></div>
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Cardinal, Monique. "Psychology of Astronauts and a Metamemetic Approach Using Citizen Science." Applied Science and Innovative Research 6, no. 3 (August 3, 2022): p32. http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/asir.v6n3p32.
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Regarding studies that prepare astronauts for space missions, psychologists have assessed candidates’ qualifications. The following proposal is to collect astronaut diaries and look for trends in management skills for future astronauts in psychologically draining and risky situations. In the long term, approaches can be made and/or applied to prepare them for future space missions. This includes acknowledging the relationships individuals have to uncertainty, including productivity and sustaining cognitive aloneness (intended as a cognitive skill capable of limiting the interference of external thoughts and psychologies). Points of the proposed methodology include multilogical thinking skills, first principles thinking, trained attentiveness, and critical thinking as it pertains to communication, organization, self-regulation, and allowing people the time and silence needed to properly respond. Lastly, individuals should separate the interference of thoughts as a result of psychological conditioning (including biases) from applied critical thinking.
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Paul, Amber M., Margareth Cheng-Campbell, Elizabeth A. Blaber, Sulekha Anand, Sharmila Bhattacharya, Sara R. Zwart, Brian E. Crucian, et al. "Immune and microRNA differentials post-simulated deep spaceflight." Journal of Immunology 206, no. 1_Supplement (May 1, 2021): 11.03. http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.206.supp.11.03.
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Abstract Spaceflight can cause immune system dysfunction in astronauts with little understanding of immune outcomes in deep space. This study assessed immune responses in mice following simulated deep spaceflight, along with retrospective data from astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). We simulated microgravity using the hindlimb unloaded mouse model alone or in combination with the newly developed simulated galactic cosmic rays or solar particle events irradiation at NASA’s Space Radiation Laboratory. Immune differentials revealed unique immune diversity following each experimental platform, suggesting consequences for deep spaceflight. Furthermore, circulating plasma microRNA sequencing analysis revealed immune system dysregulation. An ISS astronaut cohort showed elevated inflammation during low-Earth orbit missions, which supports our simulated ground experiments. Herein, distinct circulating immune biomarkers are defined by irradiation type, coupled to simulated microgravity, which can be promising targets for countermeasure developments and programmatic queries.
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Gan, Shuwei, Xiaohu Zhang, Sheng Zhuge, Chenghao Ning, Lijun Zhong, and You Li. "A Multi-View Vision System for Astronaut Postural Reconstruction with Self-Calibration." Aerospace 10, no. 3 (March 17, 2023): 298. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10030298.
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Space exploration missions involve significant participation from astronauts. Therefore, it is of great practical importance to assess the astronauts’ performance via various parameters in the cramped and weightless space station. In this paper, we proposed a calibration-free multi-view vision system for astronaut performance capture, including two modules: (1) an alternating iterative optimization of the camera pose and human pose is implemented to calibrate the extrinsic camera parameters with detected 2D keypoints. (2) Scale factors are restricted by the limb length to recover the real-world scale and the shape parameters are refined for subsequent postural reconstruction. These two modules can provide effective and efficient motion capture in a weightless space station. Extensive experiments using public datasets and the ground verification test data demonstrated the accuracy of the estimated camera pose and the effectiveness of the reconstructed human pose.
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Ly, Victoria, Suhas Rao Velichala, and Alan R. Hargens. "Cardiovascular, Lymphatic, and Ocular Health in Space." Life 12, no. 2 (February 11, 2022): 268. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life12020268.
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Life on Earth has evolved continuously under Earth’s 1 G force and the protection of the magnetosphere. Thus, astronauts exhibit maladaptive physiological responses during space travel. Exposure to harmful cosmic radiation and weightlessness are unique conditions to the deep-space environment responsible for several spaceflight-associated risks: visual impairment, immune dysfunction, and cancer due to cosmic radiation in astronauts. The evidence thus reviewed indicates that microgravity and cosmic radiation have deleterious effects on the cardiovascular, lymphatic, and vision systems of astronauts on long-duration space missions. The mechanisms responsible for the decline in these systems are potentially due to cytoskeletal filament rearrangement, endothelial dysfunction, and muscular atrophy. These factors may alter fluid hemodynamics within cardiovascular and lymphatic vasculatures such that greater fluid filtration causes facial and intracranial edema. Thus, microgravity induces cephalad fluid shifts contributing to spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS). Moreover, visual impairment via retinal ischemia and altered nitric oxide production may alter endothelial function. Based on rodent studies, cosmic radiation may exacerbate the effects of microgravity as observed in impaired endothelium and altered immunity. Relevant findings help understand the extent of these risks associated with spaceflight and suggest relevant countermeasures to protect astronaut health during deep-space missions.
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Jansen, Rachel, Erin Flynn-Evans, Alisa Braun, Scott Smith, Sara Zwart, and Zachary Glaros. "0330 Caffeine Consumption Aboard the International Space Station." SLEEP 47, Supplement_1 (April 20, 2024): A142. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0330.
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Abstract Introduction Caffeine is the most widely used performance-enhancing drug on Earth and astronaut crews have access to liquid coffee. While caffeine is a potent countermeasure to improve alertness and performance, it can also interfere with sleep. This can lead to performance deficits on the following day, driving a cycle of caffeine use to counter the effects of caffeine-induced sleep disruption. Caffeine availability may be limited during future Artemis and/or Mars missions. Therefore, we aimed to characterize how caffeine is used aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to better inform future spaceflight operations. Methods Daily caffeine consumption was determined from food and beverage intake tracking for 25 astronauts (11F) on 6-month International Space Station (ISS) missions. Data were recorded using the ISS Food Intake Tracker iPad App or other detailed recording technique. On average, crew recorded dietary intake on 179.7±68.6 (mean±SD) days inflight. Results Astronauts consumed 97±92 mg caffeine per day. All astronauts (25/25) in this study consumed caffeine at some point during flight, though the frequency, amounts, and regularity differed across crewmembers. Approximately a quarter of crewmembers were regular caffeine consumers (6/25), i.e., they ingested at least 90 mg caffeine (equivalent to one cup of coffee) on 90% of inflight days. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that caffeine is regularly consumed by astronauts, though consumption patterns vary across individuals. Future analyses will involve evaluating these data in light of sleep and performance outcomes. This information will provide us with an understanding of how caffeine is being used inflight to help guide future countermeasure development. Support (if any)
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Smith, David J. K., Charlotte R. Pouwels, Marc Heemskerk, Benedetta M. Cattani, Esther Konijnenberg, Robert Heemskerk, and Sebasthian Ogalde. "Overview of the CHILL-ICE 2021 Science Experiments and Research Campaign." Space: Science & Technology 2022 (November 12, 2022): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.34133/2022/9760968.
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The main objective of the CHILL-ICE (Construction of a Habitat Inside a Lunar-analogue Lava tube—Iceland; a campaign by ICEE Space and EuroMoonMars) prototype mission was to deploy an inflatable habitat and its systems inside a lunar analogue lava tube. This took place during an 8-hour extra vehicular activity (EVA) with three analogue astronauts as part of a three-day mission. CHILL-ICE 2021 was carried out in July/August 2021 and consisted of two missions and was accomplished through successful collaboration of nonprofit research organizations, agencies, companies, and universities across 16 nations. The pilot campaign successfully reached its main objective: the testing of emergency equipment designed to help astronauts survive when first arriving to a new celestial body and to perform experiments similar to those that would be carried out off-planet. This article is a review of the scientific research experiments carried out during and after the mission: SpotNet, an artificial intelligence (AI) astronaut detection vision system; training for studies of the geological surroundings examined during EVAs; astronaut vigilance experiments carried out before, during, and after the mission; and Lunar Zebro, a legged rover intended to assist the crew in traversing and exploring harsh terrain.
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Krieger, Stephanie S., George Makedonas, Satish Mehta, Mayra Nelman, Duane Pierson, Stephen Tyring, Alexander Choukèr, et al. "Stress Induced Immune Dysregulation: A Continuum Spanning Antarctica Winterover, Spaceflight, and Terrestrial Patients." Journal of Immunology 202, no. 1_Supplement (May 1, 2019): 182.15. http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.202.supp.182.15.
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Abstract Spaceflight, a unique environment characterized by stress, microgravity, isolation, circadian misalignment, and radiation exposure, impacts immune health. This analysis compares various aspects of immune dysregulation in astronauts during long-duration orbital spaceflight to ground-analog populations, including hypoxic and normoxic Antarctic winterover. Astronaut data were also compared to a clinical immunodeficiency population, shingles patients, to help interpret clinical risks during deep space missions. A comprehensive evaluation was performed across all platforms which included plasma and mitogen stimulated cytokine profiles, T cell function, and peripheral leukocyte distribution. A cross platform analysis was then performed to define in-flight immune alterations, determine analog appropriateness, and interpret clinical risk. Astronauts manifest a distinct pattern of immune alterations, including unaltered leukocyte distribution, reduced T/NK cell function, and increases in plasma cytokines leading to the reactivation of latent herpesviruses. The pattern is similar to that observed in shingles patients, but reduced in magnitude. Immune alterations during interior Antarctic winterover were dissimilar from spaceflight, likely due to hypobaric hypoxia. Normoxic winterover, to date only cytokine data exist, appears more homologous to spaceflight. Stress induced reductions in immunity can lead to clinical disease. This phenomenon may represent a continuum, where alterations in astronauts may represent more subtle variations which precede the development of disease. Antarctica data, at a magnitude between flight and disease, suggest that stress and circadian issues may be a primary contributor.
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SHANG, PENG, JIAN ZHANG, AIRONG QIAN, JINGBAO LI, RUI MENG, SHENGMENG DI, LIFANG HU, and ZHONGZE GU. "BONE CELLS UNDER MICROGRAVITY." Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology 13, no. 05 (October 2013): 1340006. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s021951941340006x.
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Weightlessness environment (also microgravity) during the exploration of space is the major condition which must be faced by astronauts. One of the most serious adverse effects on astronauts is the weightlessness-induced bone loss due to the unbalanced bone remodeling. Bone remodeling of human beings has evolved during billions of years to make bone tissue adapt to the gravitational field of Earth (1g) and maintain skeleton structure to meet mechanical loading on Earth. However, under weightlessness environment the skeleton system no longer functions against the pull of gravity, so there is no necessity to keep bone strong enough to support the body's weight. Therefore, the balance of bone remodeling is disrupted and bone loss occurs, which is extremely deleterious to an astronaut's health during long-term spaceflight. Bone remodeling is mainly orchestrated by bone mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts. Here, we review how these bone cells respond to microgravity environment.
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Burles, Ford, Rebecca Williams, Lila Berger, G. Bruce Pike, Catherine Lebel, and Giuseppe Iaria. "The Unresolved Methodological Challenge of Detecting Neuroplastic Changes in Astronauts." Life 13, no. 2 (February 11, 2023): 500. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life13020500.
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After completing a spaceflight, astronauts display a salient upward shift in the position of the brain within the skull, accompanied by a redistribution of cerebrospinal fluid. Magnetic resonance imaging studies have also reported local changes in brain volume following a spaceflight, which have been cautiously interpreted as a neuroplastic response to spaceflight. Here, we provide evidence that the grey matter volume changes seen in astronauts following spaceflight are contaminated by preprocessing errors exacerbated by the upwards shift of the brain within the skull. While it is expected that an astronaut’s brain undergoes some neuroplastic adaptations during spaceflight, our findings suggest that the brain volume changes detected using standard processing pipelines for neuroimaging analyses could be contaminated by errors in identifying different tissue types (i.e., tissue segmentation). These errors may undermine the interpretation of such analyses as direct evidence of neuroplastic adaptation, and novel or alternate preprocessing or experimental paradigms are needed in order to resolve this important issue in space health research.
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Sleep, Norman. "Who needs astronauts?" Astronomy & Geophysics 38, no. 5 (October 1, 1997): 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/astrog/38.5.5-a.
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Warmflash, David. "The Smallest Astronauts." Scientific American 305, no. 5 (October 18, 2011): 54–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1111-54.
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Diehl, Dana. "Looking for Astronauts." Red Cedar Review 47, no. 1 (2012): 41–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/rcr.2012.0015.
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Bove, V. Michael. "Astronauts and mosquitoes." Communications of the ACM 44, no. 3 (March 2001): 48–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/365181.365191.
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Rawal, Srishti, Aswini Madhubalan, Puviyarasu Manikandan, and Jagadeesh Kanna. "Study on the Design of Space Gloves and EVA Suits with Future Challenges." Textile & Leather Review 5 (February 5, 2022): 18–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.31881/tlr.2021.25.
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The interaction of humans with space has increased tremendously. With the growing role of Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), the astronaut gloves in space suits require technological research and innovations. The gloves may seem insignificant to design, but it is practically the most tedious as all the tasks during an EVA require significant hand usage. A space glove should have strength and capabilities like dexterity, manipulability, and tactility. Its primary objective is to allow astronauts to move their fingers as efficiently as possible and aid with locomotion, restraint, and object handling. The present glove is cumbersome due to high torque requirements at the knuckles or metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. Also, astronauts suffer from a condition called fingernail delamination (or onycholysis) due to sustained pressure on the fingertips. The focus is on the main challenges of the given technology and scientific enhancements and how to use them to draw all their benefits. This paper provides a review study to determine the project's plausibility with gradual and substantial technological advancements.