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Related Experiment Videos

Fluid shifts in weightlessness.

W E Thornton1, T P Moore, S L Pool

  • 1Astronaut Office, NASA/Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058.

Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|September 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Astronauts experienced significant leg volume loss in space, with rapid recovery post-flight. These fluid shifts, greater than bed rest, impact space mission operations.

Area of Science:

  • Space physiology
  • Human adaptation to microgravity

Background:

  • Leg volume and mass changes are critical indicators of fluid shifts during spaceflight.
  • Previous studies suggest microgravity affects fluid distribution, but detailed inflight and postflight data are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify leg volume and mass changes in astronauts during and after space missions.
  • To compare these changes between different spaceflight missions (Skylab 4 and Shuttle).
  • To assess the rate and magnitude of inflight and recovery fluid shifts.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized multiple girth measurements to assess leg volumes.
  • Conducted serial mass measurements during and after spaceflight.
  • Analyzed data from Skylab 4 and Shuttle missions.
Keywords:
NASA Center JSCNASA Discipline Regulatory Physiology

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Main Results:

  • Skylab 4: Leg volume reduced by 1.9 L (12.8%), with 1.1 L from the non-dominant leg. Postflight recovery was 65% complete within 1.5 hours.
  • Shuttle: Dominant leg lost 0.9 L, with 90% recovery within 150 minutes. Postflight increases were 87% complete at 1.5 hours postlanding.
  • Mass loss of 2.5 kg inflight (first 4 days) and gain of 2.7 kg during recovery (first 4 days) were observed on Skylab 4.

Conclusions:

  • Spaceflight induces substantial leg volume and mass changes, primarily due to fluid shifts driven by altered hydrostatic pressures.
  • These fluid shifts are more pronounced than those observed during bed rest.
  • The rate and magnitude of these inflight and postflight changes have significant operational implications for astronaut health and mission planning.