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Astronauts Return from ISS
Effects of Spaceflight and Rehabilitation
On March 19 (IST), a SpaceX capsule carrying astronauts Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore, Aleksandr Gorbunov, and Nick Hague landed in the Gulf of Mexico.
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- Williams and Wilmore completed a nine-month stay on the ISS, having reached there in June 2023 aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule.
- NASA has a structured re-adaptation regimen for returning astronauts to help them readjust to Earth’s gravity.
Effects of Extended Spaceflight on the Human Body
- Microgravity effects: Fluids flow more easily towards the brain, Muscle tension reduces, Bone density decreases.
- Astronauts maintain strict exercise and diet routines on the ISS to counteract these effects.
- Space agencies have psychological support programs to manage stress from workload and confinement.
- Research gaps:
- Limited data due to the small number of astronauts.
- Differences in body responses across individuals.
- Extended spaceflight may affect male and female astronauts differently, but more research is needed.
Astronaut Monitoring in Space
- In 2024, NASA’s Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer released updated medical standards.
- Monitoring includes: Pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight tests to track astronauts’ health.
- Regular self-evaluations: 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months after launch.
- Private medical conferences: Daily for the first week, then weekly, and before/after spacewalks.
- Hearing and eye tests: Every three months.
- Body mass measurement: One week after launch, then monthly.
- Blood and urine tests: Conducted six months after launch and as needed.
- Deep vein thrombosis and blood-flow screening: 1 & 2 months after launch, and 42 days before return.
- Astronauts are also monitored for muscle strength and radiation exposure.
Post-Flight Rehabilitation Process
- Immediately after splashdown, astronauts undergo medical tests and physical activity-based rehabilitation.
- Recovery timeline: Most astronauts return to pre-flight fitness within 45 days, but some may take longer. Astronauts in space for 20 days recover in about a week.
- Medical evaluations post-return:
- Day of return: Physical exam, neurological assessment, ECG, eye tests, blood/urine tests, skin checks, and orthostatic tolerance evaluation.
- Further assessments: 3 days, 1-2 weeks, and 2 months post-descent.
- Conducted by crew surgeon, deputy crew surgeon, or partner flight surgeon.
- Psychological checks by mission psychologists.
Physical Rehabilitation Program
- Focus: Readjust the body to Earth’s gravity without injury.
- 2024 study by Indian Journal of Aerospace Medicine: Astronauts undergo massage therapy if required.
- First week: Two hours of daily physical reconditioning: Warm-up exercises, elliptical, rowing, cycling, back/lower limb exercises, gait improvement, and stretching.
- Second week: Jogging, water-based ball games added.
- NASA’s 2011 Technical Report on Post-Flight Reconditioning:
- Program targets aerobic capacity, muscular strength, endurance, stamina, bone density, balance, agility, coordination, proprioception, and neurovestibular function.
- Daily progress assessments by medical and physiotherapy teams.
- Once astronauts reach pre-flight fitness, they resume normal duties.
This structured approach ensures astronauts return safely and regain their pre-flight physical and mental fitness.
International Space Station (ISS)
- It was officially approved by President Reagan and received budget approval from the US Congress in 1984.
- The Station was designed between 1984 and 1993.
- It is Earth’s only microgravity laboratory.
- It is a large spacecraft that orbits the Earth at an altitude of about 400 km.
- It is a joint venture involving five space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (European Space Agency), and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
- An international crew of seven people live and work while travelling at a speed of five miles per second, orbiting Earth about every 90 minutes.
- It facilitates experiments, research, and international cooperation.
- The orbital outpost will continue to provide advanced research benefiting humans on and off the Earth through 2030.
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The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH
