One Year in Space: Testing Astronaut Heart Health

NASA's Human Research Program is dedicated to understanding the way deep space travel impacts the health of the astronauts that embark on these voyages. With the One-Year Mission Functional Task Test, senior scientists at the Johnson Space Center, Jacob Bloomberg, PhD, is putting a timestamp on potential changes that occur in the heart, brain, and muscles with a simple before and after comparison.

Based on specific tasks, the most recent results show that tasks challenging "postural stability or balance control systems" were impacted the most by deep space travel. These types of tasks might include fall recovery, obstacle avoidance during walking, or carrying objects.

It is important to understand how deep space affects the health of astronauts, for their short-term health and their ability to complete missions as well as for their long-term health back on Earth.

Source: NASA