Amadee-24-FaR SiDE

Details

Summary

Extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) play an important role in astronautic space missions and pose higher demands and health risks to astronauts. They are facing many physical challenges such as living and working in extreme environments or moving around in heavy, pressurized space suits. Especially surface EVAs might pose additional risks due to deconditioning in many physiological systems after prolonged interplanetary travelling in microgravity. Therefore, health monitoring of astronauts is of increased relevance.

The Far SiDE experiment aims to develop models and systems to improve the safety of astronauts during extra-vehicular activities (EVAs). Through biomechanical and physiological models, estimators for muscle activations, joint loads, metabolic and cardiovascular demands shall be computed.

Evaluation of the validity of physiological predictions and motion adaptations will be assessed and the cumulative fatigue over the course of the mission will be investigated. Furthermore, a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the usability of the simulation system will be done and if successful, it can be used as a decision-supporting tool for flight planners and the BME team.

During the first days of the mission, experiments on the heart rate, O2 consumption, muscle activity, CO2 concentration, and more will be conducted. Further measurements will then be gained when performing EVAs. Subject of those measurements will be the respective analog astronauts in the AoudaS and AoudaX spacesuit simulators. Methods to record the relevant data include sensor data, kinetic measurements, near infrared spectroscopy, electrocardiogram, or spirometry.

Experiment Data