With the rise of commercial spaceflight, scientists are facing new challenges in understanding the effects of space travel on the human body. The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) is spearheading efforts to standardize health data collection from private astronauts and ensure the ethical management of this growing field.
Space Adaptation Syndrome, which affects many astronauts in the early days of space travel, is just one of the many health issues that space travelers must contend with. Symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, and nausea, are common as the body adjusts to the microgravity environment. Recent missions, such as Polaris Dawn, have highlighted the challenges astronauts face, impacting their ability to perform even basic tasks.
With the future of space exploration focused on missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), including trips to the Moon and Mars, these challenges are expected to become even more pronounced. As NASA prepares for a new era of commercial space operations, including private space stations to replace the International Space Station (ISS), the health and well-being of space travelers have become a critical focus.
TRISH, which works closely with NASA, is leading the charge in ensuring that space health research is grounded in rigorous standards. The organization aims to build a foundation of reliable data by coordinating health studies of astronauts and private space tourists. TRISH's Executive Director emphasized that data collection must be reproducible, well-documented, and controlled to avoid overreaching conclusions drawn from small data sets.
The expansion of private space missions has raised concerns over how to standardize and ethically conduct research on the health of civilians in space. A recent joint article in Science Policy Forum, co-authored by TRISH and a group of international experts, called for the establishment of ethical guidelines for space research. These principles, which include social responsibility, scientific excellence, proportionality, and global stewardship, are intended to guide private entities in conducting responsible space health research.
One of the most pressing challenges in this new era of commercial space is data collection. TRISH has launched the EXPAND program to address this issue by standardizing medical data collection processes. The goal is to create a cohesive database that allows researchers to compare findings across missions, regardless of the duration or crew composition. This standardized approach is crucial for drawing meaningful conclusions about the effects of space travel on human health.
While the private sector may have astronauts with diverse backgrounds who are not necessarily trained scientists, TRISH emphasizes the importance of ensuring that health research is easy to understand, feasible, and replicable. For example, on the Inspiration4 mission, crew members tested a handheld ultrasound device to capture eye images with minimal training, while real-time health data was collected on the Polaris Dawn flight using wearables like BioButtons and smartwatches.
However, as more data is gathered, privacy concerns become more significant. Space travelers often enjoy celebrity status, raising questions about how to protect sensitive health information. To safeguard privacy, TRISH has implemented an external expert data privacy board and ensures compliance with the privacy laws of the astronauts' respective countries.
While small data sets can sometimes lead to inaccurate conclusions, the goal is to create a larger, more comprehensive database to better understand how space travel impacts human health. As the pool of commercial astronauts grows, more data will help inform policies and practices to protect the health of both governmental and private astronauts.
As space exploration continues to expand, understanding how to keep astronauts healthy is not just crucial for future missions; it will also contribute to innovations that can benefit human health here on Earth. Through initiatives like EXPAND, TRISH is laying the groundwork for a robust, sustainable space health research platform that could shape the future of space exploration and the emerging commercial space industry.
