NASA's Artemis II Mission to Provide Valuable Insights on Human Health in Space

Strategic Insights -

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will embark on a 10-day mission to the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. During this mission, the astronauts will participate in a range of studies that aim to understand the effects of space travel on the human body, mind, and behavior. The studies, which will include radiation monitoring, immune system analysis, and psychological assessments, are expected to provide vital insights for future missions to destinations beyond low Earth orbit, including Mars.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Artemis II mission will include three main studies: Immune Biomarkers, ARCHeR (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness), and Artemis II Standard Measures.
  • The Immune Biomarkers study will explore how the immune system reacts to spaceflight, while the ARCHeR study will evaluate how crew members perform individually and as a team throughout the mission.
  • The Artemis II Standard Measures study will involve collecting a standardized set of measurements spanning multiple physiological systems to provide a comprehensive snapshot of how spaceflight affects the human body.
  • The mission will also include the use of radiation sensors, organ-on-a-chip devices, and dosimeters to monitor radiation exposure.
  • Previous research has shown that spaceflight missions can weaken the immune system, reactivate dormant viruses in astronauts, and put the health of the crew at risk.
  • The dry saliva sample process, which involves blotting saliva onto special paper that's stored in pocket-sized booklets, will be used for the Immune Biomarkers study due to limited refrigeration space.
  • The ARCHeR study will use actigraphy devices to monitor movement and sleep patterns, while the Artemis II Standard Measures study will collect survey and biological data, including blood collection before and after the mission.
  • NASA plans to use the Artemis II mission to help scientists characterize the radiation environment in deep space, using CubeSats and radiation-sensing technologies to gather data.
  • The mission will also include the use of organ chips, through a project called AVATAR, to gather information about the potential biological effects of the deep space radiation environment on a cellular level.

Statistics:

  • The Artemis II mission will last approximately 10 days.
  • The crew will participate in studies that begin about six months before the mission and extend for about a month after they return to Earth.
  • The Orion spacecraft has a habitable volume of about the size of a studio apartment, which presents challenges for exercise equipment selection and storage of saliva samples.
  • Previous research has shown that spaceflight missions can weaken the immune system by up to 20% (Source: NASA).
  • The Immune Biomarkers study will collect and analyze saliva samples from the crew to assess changes in the immune system over time.
  • The ARCHeR study will collect data on movement and sleep patterns from the crew, which will help scientists understand how crew members' behavior affects their overall health and performance.

Sources:

  • NASA's Human Research Program (https://humanresearch.arc.nasa.gov/)
  • NASA's Artemis II Mission (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Artemis/index.html)
  • NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston (https://www.nasa.gov/houston)