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Summing-up cosmonaut participation in long-term space flights
1Institute of Biomedical Problems, USSR Ministry of Health, Moscow.
Advances in Space Research : the Official Journal of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR)
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Space travelers generally remain healthy, but medical checks reveal common issues like space motion sickness, muscle changes, and decreased immunity. This study details these physiological adaptations during space flight.
Area of Science:
- Space medicine
- Human physiology in microgravity
Background:
- Astronaut health and work capacity are crucial for long-duration space missions.
- Understanding physiological changes is vital for crew safety and mission success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the physiological and medical changes observed in astronauts during and after space flights.
- To provide a comprehensive overview of spaceflight-induced symptom complexes.
Main Methods:
- Review of medical examinations conducted during and post-space flights.
- Analysis of symptom complexes reported by space travelers.
Main Results:
- Adequate health and work capacity were generally maintained.
- Consistent observation of space motion sickness.
- Changes noted in musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, fluid-electrolyte, and calcium metabolism systems.
- Transient erythrocytopenia and reduced immunity were also identified.
Conclusions:
- Space flight induces a predictable set of physiological changes.
- Monitoring and countermeasures are essential for mitigating adverse effects on astronaut health.
- Further research into these adaptations is warranted.