NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 to Study Adaptation to Altered Gravity
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission is preparing to launch a long-duration science mission aboard the International Space Station. During the mission, some crew members will participate in human health studies aimed at understanding how astronauts’ bodies adapt to the low-gravity environment of space, including a new study examining subtle changes in blood flow.
The experiments, conducted by NASA’s Human Research Program, include astronauts performing ultrasound scans of their blood vessels to study impaired circulation and performing simulated lunar landings to assess disorientation during gravitational transitions, among other tasks. The results will help NASA plan extended stays in space and future exploration missions.
The new study, called Venous Flow, will examine whether time spent aboard the space station increases the risk of crew members developing blood clots. In zero gravity, blood and other bodily fluids can move toward the head, potentially impairing circulation. Any resulting blood clot could pose serious health risks, including stroke.
“Our goal is to use this information to better understand how fluid shifts affect clotting risk, so that when astronauts go on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, we can develop the best strategies to keep them safe,” said Dr. Jason Lytle, a physiologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, who is leading the study.
To learn more, crew members participating in this study will undergo pre- and post-flight MRI scans, ultrasound scans, blood tests and blood pressure checks. During the flight, crew members will also perform their own jugular vein ultrasound scans, take blood pressure measurements and collect blood samples for scientists to analyze after returning to Earth.
In another study, called Hand Piloting, some crew members will perform several simulated landings on the Moon before, during and after the mission. Designed to test their piloting and decision-making skills, participants attempt to pilot a virtual spacecraft to the lunar South Pole region – the same area that future Artemis crews plan to explore.
“Astronauts can become disoriented during gravitational transitions, which can make tasks such as landing a spacecraft difficult,” said Dr. Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA Johnson, who is coordinating the investigation.
While spacecraft landings on the Moon and Mars are expected to be automated, crews must be ready to take over and pilot the vehicle if necessary.
“This study will help us examine astronauts’ ability to pilot a spacecraft after adapting from one gravitational environment to another, and whether training toward the end of their spaceflight can help prepare crews for landing,” Wood said. “We will monitor their ability to bypass, redirect and manually control a vehicle, which will guide our strategy for training Artemis crews for future lunar missions.”
The risk of astronauts becoming disoriented by gravitational transitions increases the longer they stay in space. For this study, which began during the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, researchers plan to recruit seven astronauts for short-duration private missions of up to 30 days and 14 astronauts for long-duration missions lasting at least 106 days. A control group performing the same tasks as astronauts will provide a basis for comparison.
Another study will examine potential treatments for spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome, or SANS, which causes changes to vision and eyes. Researchers will examine whether taking a daily vitamin B supplement can help relieve SANS symptoms.
After returning to Earth, some crew members will participate in a study that will document injuries, such as scrapes or bruises, that may occur during landing. The transition from weightlessness to Earth’s gravity can increase the risk of injury without proper protective measures. The data will help researchers improve spacecraft designs to better protect landing force crews.
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NASA Human Research Program
NASA’s Human Research Program researches methods and technologies to support safe and productive human space travel. Through laboratory-based scientific research, ground-based analogs, commercial missions, the International Space Station, and the Artemis missions, the program examines how spaceflight affects the human body and behaviors. Such research motivates the program’s quest to innovate to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready as human space exploration expands to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
