NASA to study human health and performance during Crew-13 mission
During NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission aboard the International Space Station, astronauts will support a series of biomedical and human performance investigations, including a new collaborative effort to study how spaceflight affects blood flow and clotting. NASA also is testing crew members' manual piloting skills, evaluating methods to counter vision and brain changes, gathering essential health…
NASA is set to investigate human health and performance during the upcoming Crew-13 mission aboard the International Space Station. The mission will see astronauts participating in a range of biomedical and human performance investigations, including a new collaborative study on how spaceflight impacts blood flow and clotting. This research, called Venous Haemostasis, builds upon previous work by the European Space Agency (ESA) by pooling resources and data to better understand the effects of microgravity on blood circulation.
Throughout the mission, astronauts will undergo various tests and measurements to monitor changes in blood flow and composition. These include MRI scans, jugular vein ultrasounds, blood pressure checks, and blood draws. The results from these tests will help researchers develop preventive measures for at-risk crew members and improve overall health and safety on future missions.
In addition to the Venous Haemostasis study, astronauts will also test their manual piloting skills using lunar-landing simulations. This research aims to evaluate how microgravity affects sensory systems and orientation during shifts between gravity environments, as well as the impact on piloting performance. Researchers will also continue the B-Complex study, which looks into whether daily B-vitamin supplements can help prevent Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) - a condition that can alter astronauts' eye structure during long-duration missions.
Other studies will focus on gathering essential health data, measuring forces experienced during re-entry, and comparing exercise routines between astronauts using the treadmill and those who do not. By conducting these investigations, NASA hopes to gain a better understanding of how the human body adapts to spaceflight and identify strategies to protect astronaut health and performance.
This knowledge will ultimately support NASA's efforts to send humans farther into the solar system, including Artemis missions to the Moon, lunar base construction, and future expeditions to Mars.
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