Certain fundamental hurdles, like maintaining astronaut well-being and recycling food, water and air have to be addressed if humans are to move beyond low-Earth orbit. NASA Ames is using it expertise in biological and physiological sciences to find answers.

In space, the human body acts as if it were rapidly aging; muscles lose mass and strength, bones lose calcium and the immune system is less efficient. To combat these effects, NASA Ames has conducted extended human bed-rest, centrifuge and exercise studies to better understand the human body. The information gained from these and other studies will help develop improved procedures to keep astronauts healthy and fit. Also, Ames has developed sophisticated devices to monitor an astronaut’s health and biofeedback systems to help prevent ‘space motion sickness.’

As NASA plans extended space missions on the International Space Station and contemplates a possible human mission to Mars, NASA Ames will continue to develop the technologies and increase knowledge about the human body that will improve mission safety and success.