NASA astronaut Nick Haig and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov will soon dock at the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The project is a venture that will enhance scientific research and enhance knowledge about how people can live and work in space.
During the planned five-month mission, Hague’s mission duties will include participation in various research projects of NASA’s Human Research Program. Each study is designed to help address health challenges that astronauts may face during future long-duration missions to places like the Moon and Mars.
“The Hague’s experience and research could lead to scientific advances that may not be possible on Earth,” said Stephen Platz, chief scientist for human studies at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Haag’s main focus during his time on the station will be to study a group of space-related visual disorders called spaceflight-associated neuro-oculum syndromes (SANS), which are caused by body fluids moving toward the head in weightlessness. That’s true. These changes can cause changes in the eye. The optic nerve may swell, the retina may develop folds, and the back of the eye may become flattened. Previous research suggests that multiple factors contribute to this syndrome, so two vision-related studies on this mission will address such changes during future missions and will address different but distinct approaches that may help prevent or prevent this.
One project, called Thigh Cuff, is investigating whether wearing a fitted cuff can combat the syndrome by retaining more fluid in the legs. The thigh cuff is compact, lightweight, and easy to use, making it attractive for potential use on long-duration deep space missions.
In this study, Dr. Haag will wear the thigh cuff for six hours during two sessions. To allow researchers to measure how well the cuff is working, they plan to record ultrasound images of blood flow in the veins of the legs and neck during the sessions. The researchers also plan to compare this data with ultrasounds taken without the cuff to examine flow differences.
“Thigh cuffs like this will allow researchers to better investigate medical conditions that cause excess fluid in the brain and excess blood returning to the heart,” said NASA Johnson study leader Brandon Macias. It may become.”
In another study, Hague plans to test whether vitamin therapy can help fight SANS. The study, led by Sarah Zwart, a nutritional biochemist at NASA Johnson, aimed to determine whether vitamin B supplements taken daily before, during, and after a flight can prevent or reduce swelling behind the eyes. There is. The study will also assess how an individual’s genetics may influence response.
“Early research suggests that some people are more susceptible to this eye syndrome than others, based on genetics that can affect their vitamin B requirements, so every day. “Taking vitamins can make a big difference,” Zwart said. “We think that by giving them B vitamins, we can take the genetic diversity part out of the equation.”
This research could also ultimately improve care options for women around the world who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome, which can cause eye changes and infertility in women. Researchers hope that by targeting the same genetic pathways and supplementing with vitamins as crew members in space, patients may benefit as well.
Haag also plans to record data to study whether a new method of administering a common anti-nausea drug can help reduce motion sickness after launch and landing. In this study, Haag was able to self-administer a new nasal gel formulation of the drug scopolamine. Dr. Haag notes his experience with this drug and other motion sickness aids, including alternative medications and behavioral interventions such as specific head movements.
The study, led by NASA Johnson neuroscientist Scott Wood, will ultimately involve 48 participants.
“Our goal is to understand how future space travelers can adapt to motion sickness when living and working in space,” Wood said. “The crew must stay healthy and carry out important missions, including landing on the moon and other destinations.”
To help NASA plan future missions, Haag will work with the human body to address other space challenges, such as avoiding injury during Earth landings and learning how space travel affects the human body at a molecular level. He also plans to participate in research.
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NASA’s Human Research Program pursues best methods and technologies to support safe and productive human space travel. The program studies how spaceflight affects the human body and behavior through science conducted in the laboratory, on ground-based analogs, on commercial missions, and on the International Space Station. Research like this continues to advance NASA’s mission to innovate ways to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready as space exploration expands to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
