At the start of a new year, many people think about making positive changes in their lives, such as improving physical fitness or learning a particular skill. Astronauts on the International Space Station work all year to maintain a high level of performance while adapting to changes in their physical fitness, cognitive ability, sensory perception, and other functions during spaceflight.
Research on the space station looks at how these qualities change in space, the ways those changes affect daily performance, and countermeasures to keep astronauts at their peak.
A current CSA (Canadian Space Agency) investigation, Space Health, assesses the effects of spaceflight on cardiovascular deconditioning. The investigation uses Bio-Monitor wearable sensors that collect data such as pulse rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, skin temperature, and physical activity levels. Results could support development of an autonomous system to monitor cardiovascular health on future space missions. Similar technology could be used to monitor heart health in people on Earth.