OBJECTIVE AND CONTEXT

Given the intensity of required exercise coupled with the length of the trip, the team searched for exercise concepts that would consider both psychological and physiological needs of six astronauts traveling to Mars. On Earth, the forces of gravity create the resistance that sustains the stability of bones and muscles. In a microgravity environment, without such resistance, human muscle and bone atrophy.  As a result, on all space missions exercise is imperative. On a long duration mission, such as future planned trips to the Moon and then Mars, crew members are expected to exercise between two and four hours a day. 

CONSIDERATIONS

•  Astronauts will be expected to exercise for a substantial percentage of their day. This intensity brings concerns for muscle cramps, strains, and pulls as well as space sickness.

•  The astronauts must be able to fully repair the device with available and limited materials.

•  As exercise is essential in a space mission, it is important to create enjoyable activities to promote exercise and astronaut well-being. Exercise satisfies both physical and psychological needs.

•  Targeted points of the body would have to be restrained in order for the astronauts to gain even minimal resistance for simple, but essential, activities such as stretching.

•  As the amount of required exercise is considerable, equipment is designed to accommodate multi-tasking. Future concepts would incorporate virtual reality to merge exercise and entertainment.

PROCESS

The team investigated a wide range of restraint concepts from low-tech straps to high-tech electromagnetic systems. Through this ideation, the team decided to focus on low-tech reliable restraint systems that could become multipurpose whenever possible.

The team also investigated how the kinetic energy generated by the exercising astronauts could be positively reinvested back into the living system of the habitat. One idea focused on using this energy to supply power for other resistance systems.

SUMMARY

This project required multiple physiological considerations especially regarding the areas at which to restrain the body while pinpointing major muscle groups for adequate exercise.   The concepts generated encourage astronauts to exercise and assist in mitigating the many negative physiological, as well as psychological, effects of long-duration space flight. NASA was impressed with the diversity of concepts developed, especially the various strapping systems, and selected several of the concepts to retain at the Johnson Space Center as part of their knowledge base for further development and consideration.

This project was made possible by generous funding from the Rhode Island Space Grant.