NASA Uses Vertical Treadmill to Improve Astronaut Health in Space

Jan. 28, 2008

Stephanie Schierholz/Beth Dickey
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4997/2087
stephanie.schierholz@xxxxxxxx, beth.dickey-1@xxxxxxxx

William P. Jeffs
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5035
william.p.jeffs@xxxxxxxx

Katherine K. Martin
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-433-2406
katherine.martin@xxxxxxxx

RELEASE: 08-026

NASA USES VERTICAL TREADMILL TO IMPROVE ASTRONAUT HEALTH IN SPACE

WASHINGTON - NASA is using a new treadmill that allows people to run
while suspended horizontally to help astronauts prepare for
long-duration missions to the moon and beyond.

A team of engineers at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland
built
the Standalone Zero Gravity Locomotion Simulator to imitate
conditions astronauts experience while exercising in space. Exercise
in microgravity helps lessen the harmful health effects of
long-duration space travel, promoting astronauts' well-being and
mission success.

NASA currently is sending astronauts on six month missions to the
International Space Station and plans to launch humans on missions to
the moon by 2020. Crew members will benefit from data NASA gathers
from bed rest studies conducted with the device. NASA's Johnson Space
Center, Houston, will manage the studies that will be conducted at
the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. NASA will use
the locomotion simulator to develop improved exercise routines for
astronauts during spaceflight.

"These studies are a key component of our research into how we can
better protect astronauts," said Linda Loerch, project manager for
the Exercise Countermeasures Project at Johnson. "The focus of our
work is to understand how to maintain astronaut health and
performance at the highest possible levels, both on our current
flights aboard the International Space Station and for future
exploration beyond Earth orbit."

Living in weightlessness can lead to aerobic deconditioning, muscle
atrophy and bone loss, all of which can affect an astronaut's ability
to perform physical tasks. On the International Space Station, crew
members exercise daily to help counter the effects of prolonged
weightlessness.

The treadmill simulates zero gravity by suspending human test
subjects
horizontally to remove the torso, head and limbs from the normal pull
of gravity. Participants are pulled toward a vertically-mounted
treadmill system where they can run or walk. The forces against a
test subject's feet are precisely controlled and can mimic conditions
of zero gravity in low Earth orbit or conditions on the moon, which
has one-sixth the gravity of Earth. In addition to simulating
exercise protocols, the device may be used to imitate the
physiological effects of spacewalking.

Cleveland Clinic in Ohio collaborated closely with NASA in the
development of the treadmill and currently is conducting bed rest
studies with a similar device to understand how exercise during
simulated spaceflight affects the muscles and bones.

"We are very proud of the collaborative effort this team put forth to
develop this system," said Gail Perusek, project manager for Exercise
Countermeasures at Glenn. "It required interdisciplinary expertise in
engineering, controls and biomechanics, and we are confident it will
facilitate valuable research for years to come."

The Standalone Zero Gravity Locomotion Simulator project and
associated studies are under the direction of the Human Research
Program within NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate.

Video of the simulator will be available on NASA Television's Video
File. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Images of the simulator can be found at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/treadmill.html

For information about NASA's plans to send humans to the moon and
beyond, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration


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