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By NASA
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nick Hague pedals on the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS), an exercise cycle located aboard the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module. CEVIS provides aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning through recumbent (leaning back position) or upright cycling activities.NASA Lee esta historia en español aquí.
The International Space Station is humanity’s home in space and a research station orbiting about 250 miles above the Earth. NASA and its international partners have maintained a continuous human presence aboard the space station for more than 24 years, conducting research that is not possible on Earth.
The people living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory also are part of the research being conducted, helping to address complex human health issues on Earth and prepare humanity for travel farther than ever before, including the Moon and Mars.
Here are a few frequently asked questions about how NASA and its team of medical physicians, psychologists, nutritionists, exercise scientists, and other specialized caretakers ensure astronauts’ health and fitness aboard the orbiting laboratory.
How long is a typical stay aboard the International Space Station?
A typical mission to the International Space Station lasts about six months, but can vary based on visiting spacecraft schedules, mission priorities, and other factors. NASA astronauts also have remained aboard the space station for longer periods of time. These are known as long-duration missions, and previous missions have given NASA volumes of data about long-term spaceflight and its effects on the human body, which the agency applies to any crewed mission.
During long-duration missions, NASA’s team of medical professionals focus on optimizing astronauts’ physical and behavioral health and their performance to help ensure mission success. These efforts also are helping NASA prepare for future human missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
How does NASA keep astronauts healthy while in space?
NASA has a team of medical doctors, psychologists, and others on the ground dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of astronauts before, during, and after each space mission. NASA assigns physicians with specialized training in space medicine, called flight surgeons, to each crew once named to a mission. Flight surgeons oversee the health care and medical training as crew members prepare for their mission, and they monitor the crew’s health before, during, and after their mission to the space station.
How does NASA support its astronauts’ mental and emotional well-being while in space?
The NASA behavioral health team provides individually determined psychological support services for crew members and their families during each mission. Ensuring astronauts can thrive in extreme environments starts as early as the astronaut selection process, in which applicants are evaluated on competencies such as adaptability and resilience. Astronauts receive extensive training to help them use self-assessment tools and treatments to manage their behavioral health. NASA also provides training in expeditionary skills to prepare every astronaut for missions on important competencies, such as self-care and team care, communication, and leadership and followership skills.
To help maintain motivation and morale aboard the space station, astronauts can email, call, and video conference with their family and friends, receive crew care packages aboard NASA’s cargo resupply missions, and teleconference with a psychologist, if needed.
How does microgravity affect astronaut physical health?
In microgravity, without the continuous load of Earth’s gravity, there are many changes to the human body. NASA understands many of the human system responses to the space environment, including adaptations to bone density, muscle, sensory-motor, and cardiovascular health, but there is still much to learn. These spaceflight effects vary from astronaut to astronaut, so NASA flight surgeons regularly monitor each crew member’s health during a mission and individualize diet and fitness routines to prioritize health and fitness while in space.
Why do astronauts exercise in space?
Each astronaut aboard the orbiting laboratory engages in specifically designed, Earth-like exercise plans. To maintain their strength and endurance, crew members are scheduled for two and a half hours of daily exercise to support muscle, bone, aerobic, and sensorimotor health. Current equipment onboard the space station includes the ARED (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device), which mimics weightlifting; a treadmill, called T2; and the CEVIS (Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System) for cardiovascular exercise.
What roles do food and nutrition play in supporting astronaut health?
Nutrition plays a critical role in maintaining an astronaut’s health and optimal performance before, during, and after their mission. Food also plays a psychosocial role during an astronaut’s long-duration stay aboard the space station. Experts working in NASA’s Space Food Systems Laboratory at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston develop foods that are nutritious and appetizing. Crew members also have the opportunity to supplement the menu with personal favorites and off-the-shelf items, which can provide a taste of home.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson is pictured in the galley aboard the International Space Station’s Unity module showing off food packets from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).NASA How does NASA know whether astronauts are getting the proper nutrients?
NASA’s nutritional biochemistry dietitians and scientists determine the nutrients (vitamins, minerals, calories) the astronauts require while in space. This team tracks what each crew member eats through a tablet-based tracking program, which each astronaut completes daily. The data from the app is sent to the dietitians weekly to monitor dietary intake. Analyzing astronaut blood and urine samples taken before, during, and after space missions is a crucial part of studying how their bodies respond to the unique conditions of spaceflight. These samples provide valuable insight into how each astronaut adapts to microgravity, radiation, and other factors that affect human physiology in space.
How do astronauts train to work together while in space?
In addition to technical training, astronauts participate in team skills training. They learn effective group living skills and how to look out for and support one another. Due to its remote and isolated nature, long-duration spaceflight can make teamwork difficult. Astronauts must maintain situational awareness and implement the flight program in an ever-changing environment. Therefore, effective communication is critical when working as a team aboard station and with multiple support teams on the ground. Astronauts also need to be able to communicate complex information to people with different professional backgrounds. Ultimately, astronauts are people living and working together aboard the station and must be able to do a highly technical job and resolve any interpersonal issues that might arise.
What happens if there is a medical emergency on the space station?
All astronauts undergo medical training and have regular contact with a team of doctors closely monitoring their health on the ground. NASA also maintains a robust pharmacy and a suite of medical equipment onboard the space station to treat various conditions and injuries. If a medical emergency requires a return to Earth, the crew will return in the spacecraft they launched aboard to receive urgent medical care on the ground.
Expedition 69 NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is seen resting and talking with NASA ISS Program Manager Joel Montalbano, kneeling left, NASA Flight Surgeon Josef Schmid, red hat, and NASA Chief of the Astronaut Office Joe Acaba, outside the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft after he landed with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023.NASA/Bill Ingalls Learn more about NASA’s Human Health and Performance Directorate at:
www.nasa.gov/hhp
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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA provides a variety of pathways for those outside the agency to contribute to authentic and meaningful research. Whether you’re a student pursuing a degree in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics), an educator looking for new ways to engage your classroom, or a citizen scientist enthusiastic about sharing your observations, there’s a wide array of opportunities to get involved in NASA research.
Citizen scientists around the world participate in environmental observation and measurement efforts through GLOBE.NASA Everybody
People from all around the world can make contributions to NASA research through citizen science projects and other opportunities available to the public.
Share your observations and take measurements in your part of the world through GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment), an international science and education initiative that engages students, teachers, and the public in collecting and analyzing environmental data. Do you have a relevant idea for human health science research that could be performed on the future Gateway lunar space station? Follow these steps to share your idea for consideration. The Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program through NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate invites citizen scientists to develop innovations in recycling material waste on deep space missions, develop aids/devices for navigating on the lunar surface during future Artemis missions, and more. Do you have the “right stuff” to participate in a simulated deep space mission? NASA’s HERA (the Human Exploration Research Analog) is seeking healthy subjects to participate in 45-day simulations to study the physiological and psychological effects of isolation and confinement on humans to help prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Visit the NASA Citizen Science webpage for more opportunities to discover the secrets of the universe, search for life elsewhere, and improve life on Earth and in space. This collage features the winning designs in the 2024 Dream with Us Design Challenge, which asks students to dream of innovations for the future of aviation.NASA Middle and High School Students
Students can gain valuable experience while making a difference in the future of aeronautics and exploration.
Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply for the four-week Gene Lab for High School Students training program sponsored by NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. The program focuses on collecting and analyzing complex biological data such as genetic codes, and computational biology. Through the annual TechRise Student Challenge offered by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, U.S. students in grades 6 to 12 form teams and design an experiment to fly on a suborbital flight platform such as a high-altitude balloon. Interested in aviation? The Dream With Us Design Challenge through NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate invites students in grades 6 to 12 to envision new innovations that will improve the safety, sustainability, and accessibility of aviation systems and technology. Through NASA internships, U.S. students ages 16 and up can boost their research experience and contribute to NASA’s work with the guidance of an agency mentor. This collage features the winning designs in the 2024 Dream with Us Design Challenge, which asks students to dream of innovations for the future of aviation.NASA Undergraduate and Graduate Students
NASA offers a variety of research opportunities for college students preparing to launch their own exciting careers in STEM.
NASA’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grants competitive awards to enable college and university students within specific U.S. jurisdictions to participate in cutting-edge research projects that address NASA’s challenges and needs. The National Space Grant College and Fellowship Project (Space Grant), is a national network of colleges and universities comprising a total of 52 consortia across the U.S. These consortia fund several research opportunities for students attending member colleges and universities. Look up your state’s Space Grant consortium website to discover available opportunities. NASA internships are available in a wide range of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, enabling meaningful contributions to NASA’s missions as well as authentic experience as a part of the agency’s world-class workforce. Through the University Student Research Challenge, students are invited to propose their ideas describing innovative new approaches to tackling one of six major research areas as outlined by NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. Students can take part in valuable studies of the ever-changing Earth system through NASA’s Earth Science Division’s Early Career Research (ECR) program. ECR includes the eight-week Student Airborne Research Program, the Climate Change Research Initiative, and more. College students at Minority Serving Institutions can contribute to the agency’s exploration goals through many opportunities offered by NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP). Educators of grades K-8 take part in a workshop hosted by NASA’s Next Gen STEM.NASA Educators
NASA provides opportunities for educators to participate in authentic aerospace research, as well as to engage their students in research in the classroom.
Space Grant offers a variety of opportunities for educators, from curriculum enhancement and faculty development to grants enabling teachers to bring NASA research into the classroom. Look up your state’s Space Grant consortium website to discover available opportunities. NASA welcomes interns with professional teaching experience to help foster the education and curiosity of students who will shape the future workforce. Visit NASA Internships to learn more and find current opportunities. Through NASA’s Climate Change Research Initiative, part of the agency’s Earth Science Division’s Early Career Research Program, high school STEM educators can join a research team led by NASA scientists to focus on a research area related to climate change. There’s More to Explore
Explore available NASA STEM learning experiences, such as internship roles, student competitions, or engagements with NASA researchers, through NASA’s STEM Gateway platform. Visit NASA’s Learning Resources webpage for the latest news and resources from the agency’s Office of STEM Engagement.
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By NASA
This archival photo shows engineers working on NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft on March 23, 1977. NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Voyager mission launched in the 1970s. Today, it’s making history as it conducts new science. But how are two spacecraft from the ’70s not just surviving, but thriving farther out in space than any other spacecraft has been before?
A Little Mission Background
Voyager is a NASA mission made up of two different spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, which launched to space on Sept. 5, 1977, and Aug. 20, 1977, respectively. In the decades following launch, the pair took a grand tour of our solar system, studying Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — one of NASA’s earliest efforts to explore the secrets of the universe. These twin probes later became the first spacecraft to operate in interstellar space — space outside the heliosphere, the bubble of solar wind and magnetic fields emanating from the Sun. Voyager 1 was the first to enter interstellar space in 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018.
Today, Voyager continues not just because it can, but because it still has work to do studying interstellar space, the heliosphere, and how the two interact. “We wouldn’t be doing Voyager if it wasn’t taking science data,” said Suzanne Dodd, the mission’s current project manager and the director for the Interplanetary Network at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
But across billions of miles and decades of groundbreaking scientific exploration, this trailblazing interstellar journey has not been without its trials. So, what’s the Voyager secret to success?
In short: preparation and creativity.
As NASA’s two Voyager spacecraft travel out into deep space, they carry a small American flag and a Golden Record packed with pictures and sounds — mementos of our home planet. This picture shows John Casani, Voyager project manager in 1977, holding a small Dacron flag that was folded and sewed into the thermal blankets of the Voyager spacecraft before they launched 36 years ago. Below him lie the Golden Record (left) and its cover (right). In the background stands Voyager 2 before it headed to the launch pad. The picture was taken at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 4, 1977. NASA/JPL-Caltech We Designed Them Not to Fail
According to John Casani, Voyager project manager from 1975 to launch in 1977, “we didn’t design them to last 30 years or 40 years, we designed them not to fail.”
One key driver of the mission’s longevity is redundancy. Voyager’s components weren’t just engineered with care, they were also made in duplicate.
According to Dodd, Voyager “was designed with nearly everything redundant. Having two spacecraft — right there is a redundancy.”
“We didn’t design them to last 30 years or 40 years, we designed them not to fail.”
John Casani
Voyager Project Manager, 1975-1977
A Cutting-Edge Power Source
The twin Voyager spacecraft can also credit their longevity to their long-lasting power source.
Each spacecraft is equipped with three radioisotope thermoelectric generators. These nuclear “batteries” were developed originally by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Atoms for Peace program enacted by President Eisenhower in 1955. Compared to other power options at the time — like solar power, which doesn’t have the reach to work beyond Jupiter — these generators have allowed Voyager to go much farther into space.
Each of NASA’s Voyager probes are equipped with three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), including the one shown here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The RTGs provide power for the spacecraft by converting the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238 into electricity. Launched in 1977, the Voyager mission is managed for NASA by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California.
NASA/JPL-Caltech Voyager’s generators continue to take the mission farther than any before, but they also continue to generate less power each year, with instruments needing to be shut off over time to conserve power.
Creative Solutions
As a mission that has operated at the farthest edges of the heliosphere and beyond, Voyager has endured its fair share of challenges. With the spacecraft now in interstellar space running on software and hardware from the 1970s, Voyager’s problems require creative solutions.
Retired mission personnel who worked on Voyager in its earliest days have even come back out of retirement to collaborate with new mission personnel to not just fix big problems but to pass on important mission know-how to the next generation of scientists and engineers.
“From where I sit as a project manager, it’s really very exciting to see young engineers be excited to work on Voyager. To take on the challenges of an old mission and to work side by side with some of the masters, the people that built the spacecraft,” Dodd said. “They want to learn from each other.”
After receiving data about the health and status of Voyager 1 for the first time in five months, members of the Voyager flight team celebrate in a conference room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 20. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA/JPL-Caltech Within just the last couple of years, Voyager has tested the mission team’s creativity with a number of complex issues. Most recently, the thrusters on Voyager 1’s thrusters, which control the spacecraft’s orientation and direction, became clogged. The thrusters allow the spacecraft to point their antennae and are critical to maintaining communications with Earth. Through careful coordination, the mission team was able to remotely switch the spacecraft to a different set of thrusters.
These kinds of repairs are extra challenging as a radio signal takes about 22 ½ hours to reach Voyager 1 from Earth and another 22 ½ hours to return. Signals to and from Voyager 2 take about 19 hours each way.
Voyager’s Interstellar Future
This brief peek behind the curtain highlights some of Voyager’s history and its secrets to success.
The Voyager probes may continue to operate into the late 2020s. As time goes on, continued operations will become more challenging as the mission’s power diminishes by 4 watts every year, and the two spacecraft will cool down as this power decreases. Additionally, unexpected anomalies could impact the mission’s functionality and longevity as they grow older.
As the mission presses on, the Voyager team grows this legacy of creative problem solving and collaboration while these twin interstellar travelers continue to expand our understanding of the vast and mysterious cosmos we inhabit.
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The Story Behind Voyager 1’s Pale Blue Dot The Story Behind Voyager 1’s Family Portrait Pale Blue Dot Poster Voyager 1 Mission Page Voyager 2 Mission Page Share
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Last Updated Nov 04, 2024 Related Terms
Missions Voyager 1 Voyager 2 Voyager Program View the full article
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By European Space Agency
Image: ESA Astronaut Reserve training kicks off at EAC View the full article
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Francisco Rodriguez (aircraft mechanic) services liquid oxygen or LOX on the ER-2 during the Geological Earth Mapping Experiment (GEMx) research project. Experts like Rodriguez sustain a high standard of safety on airborne science aircraft like the ER-2 and science missions like GEMx. The ER-2 is based out of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Steve Freeman Operating at altitudes above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere, NASA’s ER-2 aircraft is the agency’s highest-flying airborne science platform. With its unique ability to observe from as high as 65,000 feet, the ER-2 aircraft is often a platform for Earth science that facilitates new and crucial information about our planet, especially when the plane is part of collaborative and multidisciplinary projects.
“We’re deploying instruments and people everywhere from dry lakebeds in the desert to coastal oceans and from the stratosphere to marine layer clouds just above the surface,” said Kirk Knobelspiesse, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “We live on a changing planet, and it is through collaborative projects that we can observe and understand those changes.”
One mission that recently benefitted from the ER-2’s unique capabilities is the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX) project. The PACE-PAX mission uses the ER-2’s capabilities to confirm data collected from the PACE satellite, which launched in February 2024.
The PACE observatory is making novel measurements of the ocean, atmosphere, and land surfaces, noted Knobelspiesse, the mission scientist for PACE-PAX. This mission is all about checking the accuracy of those new satellite measurements.
Sam Habbal (quality inspector), Darick Alvarez (aircraft mechanic), and Juan Alvarez (crew chief) work on the network “canoe” on top of the ER-2 aircraft, which provides network communication with the pilot onboard. Experts like these sustain a high standard of safety while outfitting instruments onboard science aircraft like the ER-2 and science missions like the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX) mission. The ER-2 is based out of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Genaro Vavuris “The ER-2 is the ideal platform for PACE-PAX because it’s about the closest we can get to putting instruments in orbit without actually doing so,” Knobelspiesse said.
The collaborative project includes a diverse team of researchers from across NASA, plus the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the Naval Postgraduate School, and other institutions.
Similarly, the Geological Earth Mapping eXperiment (GEMx) science mission is using the ER-2 over multiple years to collect observations of critical mineral resources across the Western United States.
“Flying at this altitude means the GEMx mission can acquire wide swaths of data with every overflight,” said Kevin Reath, NASA’s associate project manager for the GEMx mission, a collaboration between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA.
The ER-2 conducted over 80 flight hours in service of the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX) mission. The ER-2 is uniquely qualified to conduct the high-altitude scientific flights that this project required, and is based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Genaro Vavuris The GEMx team collects visible, shortwave infrared, and thermal infrared data using instruments installed onboard the ER-2. Combining these instruments with the aircraft’s capability to fly at high altitudes bears promising results.
“The dataset being produced is the largest airborne surface mineralogy dataset captured in a single NASA campaign,” Reath said. “These data could help inform federal, tribal, state, and community leaders to make decisions that protect or develop our environment.”
Learn more about the ER-2 aircraft.
Learn more about the PACE-PAX mission.
Learn more about the GEMx mission.
Learn more about NASA’s Airborne Science Program.
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Last Updated Oct 24, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactErica HeimLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms
Armstrong Flight Research Center Airborne Science Earth Science Earth's Atmosphere ER-2 PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem) Science Mission Directorate Explore More
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