Re­search in­to the hu­man phys­i­ol­o­gy of weight­less­ness

Bed rest studies

Re­search in­to the hu­man phys­i­ol­o­gy of weight­less­ness

If astronauts are to live for long periods in space, on the Moon or on Mars in the future, effective countermeasures must be developed to deal with the negative effects of weightlessness and reduced gravity.

In a zero-gravity environment, muscles and bones atrophy significantly, body fluids shift to the upper body, and there is less strain placed on the whole cardiovascular system, which then loses efficiency. In a nutshell, the degenerative process speeds up in space compared with what would happen on Earth.

Research into the human physiology of weightlessness is important not just for astronauts to maintain their health and fitness in space, but also for people on Earth. This is why space medicine can be just as valuable as research into health on Earth.

Lying in bed for the sake of science

Bedrest studies are considered to be the gold standard in space medical research when it comes to simulating the effect of weightlessness on the human body on Earth. The impact on the test subjects’ bodies during long-term bedrest studies are comparable to those experienced by astronauts in space. Depending on the research topic, initially simulating aspects on Earth, where the conditions are easier to control can bring advantages.

DLR has gathered a wealth of experience in the area of short-term and long-term bedrest studies. Launched in 2019, the Artificial Gravity Bed Rest Study (AGBRESA) is the first long-term bedrest study jointly conducted by DLR, NASA and ESA. In the :envihab research facility at DLR’s site in Cologne, researchers are using a short-arm human centrifuge for the first time to test whether artificial gravity can counteract bone and muscle atrophy.

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Bed rest study at :envihab
On 25 March 2019, DLR launched AGBRESA (Artificial Gravity Bed Rest Study), the first long-term bed rest study conducted together with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the US space agency NASA. For the first time, the use of artificial gravity as a possible countermeasure against the negative effects of weightlessness on the human body will be investigated.
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Experiments on the tilt table
In the study SpaceCOT, DLR scientists placed subjects on a tilt table to study their bodies' reactions to the head-down position.
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The beds are angled downwards towards the head end by six degrees
The slight inclination of the beds ensures that thebody fluids - as with the astronauts in weightlessness - in the direction of the head.
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Background articles

The DLR Short-Arm Centrifuge

The DLR Short-Arm Centrifuge, Module 1 at the :envihab research facility of the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne, is a special unit and the only one of its kind in the world, offering enhanced possibilities for researching the effects of altered gravity, especially as a countermeasure to the health risks that occur in microgravity conditions.

Living and simulation facility/residential research facility (Module 3 at :envihab)

The living and simulation area of the high-tech medical research facility :envihab of DLR’s Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne is a highly complex and completely unique residential research facility.

More about bed rest studies in the DLR blog

From deeper insights into the scientific questions of the bed rest studies at the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine to the personal impressions and experiences of the test subjects - the DLR blog offers a variety of articles on the topic from very different perspectives on the VaPER, AGBRESA and SANS-CM studies.

Downloads

Article: Lying down in the name of science

433.3 KB | PDF

Bedrest studies explore spaceflight-related diseases

:envihab brochure

1.6 MB | PDF

Future Research for Space and Earth

Contact

Philipp Burtscheidt

Media relations editor
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Corporate Communications
Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne
Tel: +49 2203 601-2116

Friederike Wütscher

Public Relation/Institute Communicator
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Institute of Aerospace Medicine
Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne