Summary
NASA plans to study blood flow and clotting, vision, piloting, exercise and landing forces during SpaceX Crew-13. The investigations are intended to inform astronaut health measures and future mission planning.
NASA plans a series of health and performance investigations during SpaceX Crew-13’s mission aboard the International Space Station. The work includes a NASA–European Space Agency study of blood flow and clotting, tests of astronaut piloting skills, and research on vision, exercise and forces during the return to Earth.
Studying blood flow and clotting in space
The joint study, called Venous Haemostasis, will examine how spaceflight affects blood circulation and the processes involved in clotting. NASA says weightlessness can disrupt normal blood flow in astronauts’ veins, and that irregular or slow flow may raise the risk of blood clots.
Researchers plan to coordinate blood collections and other physiological measurements between the two agencies. NASA says combining the research efforts could reduce how often astronauts need blood drawn while giving researchers a broader set of measurements to analyse.
Crew members will undergo MRI scans, jugular-vein ultrasound examinations, blood-pressure checks and blood draws before, during and after flight. Researchers intend to use the resulting data to investigate differences in blood flow and composition and inform preventive measures for crew members at risk.
Testing performance and health strategies
A study called Manual Piloting will use lunar-landing simulations to assess astronauts’ ability to manage challenging landings after extended time in microgravity. Researchers will examine how changes to sensory systems, orientation and motion control affect performance, and whether refresher training shortly before landing could help with piloting and decision-making.
The B-Complex study will assess whether taking a daily B-vitamin supplement before, during and after flight can reduce or prevent Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), which can alter eye structure during long-duration missions. NASA says past research suggests B vitamins may help protect against SANS; Crew-13 participants will have vision tests, and the study will also examine blood-vessel function before and after flight.
Select astronauts will take part in three further Human Research Program studies. Standard Measures collects physiological and behavioural data to support research on the effects of spaceflight. Spacecraft Occupant Risk measures forces experienced during landing to help NASA refine injury-reduction strategies and hardware. Zero T2 will compare health and performance data from astronauts who use the station treadmill for aerobic exercise with data from those who do not. NASA says those comparisons could inform exercise plans for Artemis and deep-space missions, where spacecraft size may limit treadmill use.
These are planned investigations, not reported results. Their data are intended to guide ways of supporting astronaut health and performance on future missions, including journeys to the Moon and Mars.