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These are essential examinations for the health of astronauts. In Toulouse, twelve male volunteers will undergo a battery of tests to assess the effects of weightlessness on the body. For this, they will have to live lying down for two months.
Contrary to appearances, the patient transported on a stretcher is in good health. He is one of 12 volunteers selected to lie in bed for two months. Harnessed to the centrifuge tray, the volunteer is equipped with numerous sensors. For 30 minutes, he will pedal under the gaze of the team. “We are trying to see if this effect of pedaling in the centrifuge can improve the health of astronauts”explains flight doctor Adrianos Golémis.
A study to improve the health of astronauts
The volunteers receive an allowance of 18,000 euros to carry out the experiment. This clinical study complements the experiments already known. “For lunar flights and perhaps tomorrow for Mars flights, we know that we have to prepare other programs to maintain the health of the crew. Current programs are not sufficient to preserve the health of astronauts for that flight time”, explains Marie-Pierre Bareille, head of the space clinic. The results will be used for future long-duration spaceflights and to feed studies on sedentary lifestyles.
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