DLR - Institute of Aerospace Medicine - Facilities of the Institute

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Facilities of the Institute

Simulation Facility for Occupational Medicine Research (AMSAN)

AMSAN (Arbeitsmedizinische Simulationsanlage), is a multiple purpose research unit for aerospace medical and psychological investigations on humans. Up to eight subjects can be accommodated and investigated at the same time for several days or even weeks according to the appropriate study’s design. The 300 square meters large unit can be run closed circle under controlled environmental conditions. It is air conditioned, sound proved, and uses exclusively artificial lighting.

Human Centrifuge

The human centrifuge serves to investigate effects of accelerations on the human body. It is used also for medical screening and training of pilots and astronauts. Accelerations within the single digit G-area are possible.

Kurzarm-Humanzentrifuge (SAHC)

Mit Hilfe der neuen Humanzentrifuge, die dem DLR von der ESA zur Verfügung gestellt wurde, kann eine Versuchsperson unterschiedlichen Beschleunigungen ausgesetzt werden, die bei liegenden Personen maximal das Fünffache der Erdbeschleunigung betragen können.

Clinostats

Clinostats can be used to simulate the conditions of weightlessness by fast rotation of samples perpendicular to the force of gravity. Different Clinostats are available:

Fast Rotating Clinostat Microscope
Fast Rotating Clinostats for larger sample volumes

Medical Laboratory - Pressure Chamber

The barochambers imitate various atmospheric conditions. Both, investigations of altitude physiological problems and special studies on air composition and its effect on humans, are performed under hypobaric and/or hyperbaric conditions. Purposes of such studies are basic research and answers to applied relevant questions from the aerospace medicine. The chambers are also used in the research of physical and psychological behaviour under special isolation conditions.

Medical Laboratory - Low Pressure Chamber

Space Simulation Facilities

The Space Simulation Facilities which are preferably intended for the performance of ground controls for space experiments allow the simulation of single space parameters like vacuum (>10^-5 Pa), temperature (-20 to +80 °C) and solar radiation from vacuum-UV (160 nm wavelength) up to infrared radiation (~1000 nm wavelength). Various combinations of these single parameters (except reduced gravity) can be simulated thereby mimicking the conditions experiments are exposed to in space and on other planets. The facilities are also used to verify the suitability of new experiment designs to be performed under space flight conditions.

Physiology-Laboratory

The Physiology-Lab integrates several experimental facilities that are equipped for non-invasive or minimal invasive examination in the scope of human physiology. The research focuses on the neuro-muscular-skeletal system and the cardio-vascular system.