Vertical treadmill helps astronauts prepare for missions
The vertical treadmill helps prepare astronauts for space
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Wednesday, 30, Jan 2008 01:42
A new treadmill that allows people to run while suspended horizontally is being used by Nasa to help astronauts prepare for space missions.
The Standalone Zero Gravity Locomotion Simulator imitates conditions astronauts experience while exercising in space.
People using the treadmill are suspended so that the torso, head and limbs are removed from the normal pull of gravity.
The forces against their feet can mimic conditions of zero gravity in low Earth orbit or conditions on the moon, which has one-sixth the gravity of Earth.
It can also imitate the physiological effects of spacewalking.
Exercising on the treadmill is said to help lessen the harmful health effects of long-duration space travel, promoting astronauts' wellbeing and mission success.
Living in space can lead to aerobic deconditioning, muscle atrophy and bone loss, potentially affecting an astronaut's ability to perform physical tasks.
Crew members on the International Space Station (ISS) counter this by exercising daily.
Nasa is using the treadmill as part of preparations to send astronauts on six-month missions to the ISS and the moon.
"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 Nasa's Johnson space centre.
"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 ISS and for future exploration beyond Earth orbit."