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At least 451 records · Page 25

Spacelab 3 flight experiment No. 3AFT23: Autogenic-feedback training as a preventive method for space adaptation syndrome

Space adaptation syndrome is a motion sickness-like disorder which affects up to 50 percent of all people exposed to microgravity in space. This experiment tested a physiological conditioning procedure (Autogenic-Feedback Training, AFT) as an alternative to pharmacological management. Four astronauts participated as subjects in this experiment. Crewmembers A and B served as treatment subjects. Both received preflight training for control of heart rate, respiration rate, peripheral blood volume, and skin conductance. Crewmembers C and D served as controls (i.e., did not receive training). Crewmember A showed reliable control of his own physiological responses, and a significant increase in motion sickness tolerance after training. Crewmember B, however, demonstrated much less control and only a moderate increase in motion sickness tolerance was observed after training. The inflight symptom reports and physiological data recordings revealed that Crewmember A did not experience any severe symptom episodes during the mission, while Crewmember B reported one severe symptom episode. Both control group subjects, C and D (who took antimotion sickness medication), reported multiple symptom episodes on mission day 0. Both inflight data and crew reports indicate that AFT may be an effective countermeasure. Additional data must be obtained inflight (a total of eight treatment and eight control subjects) before final evaluation of this treatment can be made.

Cowings, Patricia S.↗

Human vestibular function and weightlessness

This article presents the concept of a spatial orientation/motion perceptual system and discusses the contributions of the vestibular receptors to this system. The apparatus and training procedures and observations to allow astronauts to preadapt to weightlessness are described. The author also discusses perceptual reactions to prolonged weightlessness.

Parker, Donald E.↗

STS-97 Crew Interview: Marc Garneau, MS2

The STS-97 Mission Specialist Marc Garneau is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, and his training. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, its payload, the rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS), and what it will be like to work knowing there is already a crew on board the ISS.

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STS-97 Crew Interview: Joseph Tanner, MS1

The STS-97 Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, and his training. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, its payload, the rendez-vous with the International Space Station (ISS), and what it will be like to work knowing there is already a crew on board the ISS.

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STS-97 Crew Interview: Carlos Noriega, MS3

The STS-97 Mission Specialist Carlos Noriega is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, and his training. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, its payload, the rendez-vous with the International Space Station (ISS), and what it will be like to work knowing there is already a crew on board the ISS.

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STS-98 Crew Interview: Ken Cockrell

The STS-98 Commander Ken Cockrell is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, and his training. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, and the payload and hardware it brings to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Cockrell discusses his role in the mission's spacewalks and activities.

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STS-98 Crew Interview: Tom Jones

The STS-98 Mission Specialist Tom Jones is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, and his training. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, and the payload and hardware it brings to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Jones discusses his role in the mission's spacewalks and activities.

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STS-98 Crew Interview: Marsha Ivins

The STS-98 Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins is seen being interviewed. She answers questions about her inspiration to become an astronaut, her career path, and her training. She gives details on the mission's goals and significance, and the payload and hardware it brings to the International Space Station (ISS). Ms. Ivins discusses her role in the mission's spacewalks and activities.

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STS-98 Crew Interview: Bob Curbeam

The STS-98 Mission Specialist Bob Curbeam is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, and his training. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, and the payload and hardware it brings to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Curbeam discusses his role in the mission's spacewalks and activities.

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STS-98 Crew Interview: Mark Polansky

The STS-98 Pilot Mark Polansky is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, and his training. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, and the payload (ORU, PDGF) and hardware it brings to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Polansky discusses his role in the mission's spacewalks and activities.

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International Space Station Expedition 6 Crew Training Clip

The crewmembers of Expedition Six consists of Commander Ken Bowersox, and Flight Engineers Donald Pettit, and Nikolai Budarin. The main goal for expedition six is to perform scientific research and international cooperation. The various areas of training shown include hands on review of The International Space Station Mockups, Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Extravehicular Activity (EVA) training, and International Space Station Training. A photo session of the astronauts is also presented.

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Effects of Long-Duration Space Flight on Training Retention and Transfer

The space environment imposes on the astronaut crew significant physiological, psycho-social, and cognitive loads that can not be replicated on the ground. These loads likely impact crew performance. To date, no systematic data collection has taken place to understand the effects of such loads on crew members ability to retain trained knowledge and skills, and to transfer such knowledge and skills to novel situations. The research described here was originally requested by HRP management to be the first such study to systematically collect data on the effects of long duration space flight on training retention and transfer. Because current theories of retention and transfer are based on results obtained in university laboratories using undergraduate students as research participants, and because crew time in space is very expensive, this study was designed to compare the performance of 4 groups of subjects: crew members in space, crew members on the ground, crew-like subjects, and university undergraduate students. Results from the ground-phase of the study reported here demonstrate that crew members performance under cognitive load can not be predicted from the performance of university undergraduate students. It is still an open question the extent to which crew members cognitive performance in space can be predicted from the performance of crew members on the ground.

Barshi, Immanuel↗

Effects of Long-Duration Space Flight on Training Retention and Transfer

The space environment imposes on the astronaut crew significant physiological, psycho-social, and cognitive loads that can not be replicated on the ground. These loads likely impact crew performance. To date, no systematic data collection has taken place to understand the effects of such loads on crew members’ ability to retain trained knowledge and skills, and to transfer such knowledge and skills to novel situations. The research described here was originally requested by HRP management to be the first such study to systematically collect data on the effects of long duration space flight on training retention and transfer. Because current theories of retention and transfer are based on results obtained in university laboratories using undergraduate students as research participants, and because crew time in space is very expensive, this study was designed to compare the performance of 4 groups of subjects: crew members in space, crew members on the ground, crew-like subjects, and university undergraduate students. Results from the ground-phase of the study reported here demonstrate that crew members’ performance under cognitive load can not be predicted from the performance of university undergraduate students. It is still an open question the extent to which crew members’ cognitive performance in space can be predicted from the performance of crew members on the ground.

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Using virtual environment technology for preadapting astronauts to the novel sensory conditions of microgravity

A unique training device is being developed at the Johnson Space Center Neurosciences Laboratory to help reduce or eliminate Space Motion Sickness (SMS) and spatial orientation disturbances that occur during spaceflight. The Device for Orientation and Motion Environments Preflight Adaptation Trainer (DOME PAT) uses virtual reality technology to simulate some sensory rearrangements experienced by astronauts in microgravity. By exposing a crew member to this novel environment preflight, it is expected that he/she will become partially adapted, and thereby suffer fewer symptoms inflight. The DOME PAT is a 3.7 m spherical dome, within which a 170 by 100 deg field of view computer-generated visual database is projected. The visual database currently in use depicts the interior of a Shuttle spacelab. The trainee uses a six degree-of-freedom, isometric force hand controller to navigate through the virtual environment. Alternatively, the trainee can be 'moved' about within the virtual environment by the instructor, or can look about within the environment by wearing a restraint that controls scene motion in response to head movements. The computer system is comprised of four personal computers that provide the real time control and user interface, and two Silicon Graphics computers that generate the graphical images. The image generator computers use custom algorithms to compensate for spherical image distortion, while maintaining a video update rate of 30 Hz. The DOME PAT is the first such system known to employ virtual reality technology to reduce the untoward effects of the sensory rearrangement associated with exposure to microgravity, and it does so in a very cost-effective manner.

Duncan, K. M.↗

Enhancing Functional Performance using Sensorimotor Adaptability Training Programs

During the acute phase of adaptation to novel gravitational environments, sensorimotor disturbances have the potential to disrupt the ability of astronauts to perform functional tasks. The goal of this project is to develop a sensorimotor adaptability (SA) training program designed to facilitate recovery of functional capabilities when astronauts transition to different gravitational environments. The project conducted a series of studies that investigated the efficacy of treadmill training combined with a variety of sensory challenges designed to increase adaptability including alterations in visual flow, body loading, and support surface stability.

Bloomberg, J. J.↗

Exercise Versus +Gz Acceleration Training

Decreased working capacity and "orthostatic" intolerance are two major problems for astronauts during and after landing from spaceflight in a return vehicle. The purpose was to test the hypotheses that (1) supine-passive-acceleration training, supine-interval-exercise plus acceleration training, and supine exercise plus acceleration training will improve orthostatic tolerance (OT) in ambulatory men; and that (2) addition of aerobic exercise conditioning will not influence this enhanced OT from that of passive-acceleration training. Seven untrained men (24-38 yr) underwent 3 training regimens (30 min/d x 5d/wk x 3wk on the human-powered centrifuge - HPC): (a) Passive acceleration (alternating +1.0 Gz to 50% Gzmax); (b) Exercise acceleration (alternating 40% - 90% V02max leg cycle exercise plus 50% of HPCmax acceleration); and (c) Combined intermittent exercise-acceleration at 40% to 90% HPCmax. Maximal supine exercise workloads increased (P < 0.05) by 8.3% with Passive, by 12.6% with Exercise, and by 15.4% with Combined; but maximal V02 and HR were unchanged in all groups. Maximal endurance (time to cessation) was unchanged with Passive, but increased (P < 0.05) with Exercise and Combined. Resting pre-tilt HR was elevated by 12.9% (P < 0.05) only after Passive training, suggesting that exercise training attenuated this HR response. All resting pre-tilt blood pressures (SBP, DBP, MAP) were not different pre- vs. post-training. Post-training tilt-tolerance time and HR were increased (P < 0.05) only with Passive training by 37.8% and by 29.1%, respectively. Thus, addition of exercise training attenuated the increased Passive tilt tolerance. Resting (pre-tilt) and post-tilt cardiac R-R interval, stroke volume, end-diastolic volume, and cardiac output were all uniformly reduced (P < 0.05) while peripheral resistance was uniformly increased (P < 0.05) pre-and post-training for the three regimens indicating no effect of any training regimen on those cardiovascular variables. Plasma volume (% delta) was uniformly decreased by 8% to 14% (P < 0.05) at tilt-tolerance pre- vs. post-training for all regimens indicating no effect of these training regimens on the level of vascular fluid shifts.

Greenleaf, John E.↗

Innovations in Medicine

NASA is planning now toward the day of long-duration flight-manned interplanetary missions for example-wherein routine health care and emergency treatment must be accomplished on-board the spacecraft over periods of months or perhaps even years. Since spacecraft design limits crew size, the medical assignment may be handled by a single astronaut-physician or by a crew member trained as a physician's assistant. In a space emergency demanding surgery, for instance, sophisticated communications equipment, backed by a computerized data processing system, would make it possible for a surgeon on Earth to "examine" the patient. He could study X-rays and other data, specify an in-flight surgical procedure, and guide the astronaut-medic step-by-step through the operation. Such a system is being evaluated now. It is called STARPAHC (Space Technology Applied to Rural Papago Health Care). NASA technology in space communications and data processing is being applied to remote health services for the Papago tribe. STARPAHC is administered by the NASA Life Sciences Directorate in the Office of Space Sciences. It is a joint program involving NASA's Johnson Space Center, the Indian Health Service of the Department of Health, Education & Welfare, and the Papago's Executive Health Council. Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. is NASA's systems support contractor.

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Sensorimotor Adaptability Training Improves Motor and Dual-Task Performance

The overall objective of our project is to develop a sensorimotor adaptability (SA) training program designed to facilitate recovery of functional capabilities when astronauts transition to different gravitational environments. The goal of our current study was to determine if SA training using variation in visual flow and support surface motion produces improved performance in a novel sensory environment and demonstrate the retention characteristics of SA training.

Bloomberg, J.J.↗