The ups and downs of space research

Microgravity experienced during spaceflight poses potential health risks to astronauts’ cardiovascular systems. Determining how to mitigate these health risks is challenging, as countermeasures are tested in Earth’s gravity. But what if there was a way to perform research in microgravity, without leaving the atmosphere?

Researchers from Texas A&M University are participating in parabolic flights operated by Novespace in Bordeaux, France. These flights create brief periods of microgravity through a series of parabolic climb and descent maneuvers.

“It feels like going down a rollercoaster, but the drop lasts for 22 seconds and there’s no wind rushing around you,” said Huc Pentinat Llurba, the aerospace engineering student leading this project. “It was the most unique experience of my life, you truly feel like an astronaut.”

During the 22-second windows of microgravity, researchers can test different countermeasures to mitigate spaceflight-related health risks, caused by fluid shifts within the body.

One such countermeasure is lower body negative pressure (LBNP). Using an LBNP chamber designed by Austin-based company Technavance, Texas A&M researchers are able to put participants’ lower bodies into a vacuum-like state. This allows the fluid that has shifted to the upper body in microgravity to return to the lower body, mitigating health risks like jugular vein thrombosis and increased blood pressure. 

The Bioastronautics and Human Performance Laboratory, led by Dr. Ana Diaz Artiles, has been testing the effectiveness of LBNP on counteracting fluid shifts in simulated microgravity on Earth. The parabolic flights — provided by the European Space Agency and funded by NASA and Texas A&M — enable one of the most comprehensive and systematic studies of this countermeasure in real microgravity conditions. 

“Parabolic flights give us the opportunity to test LBNP in actual microgravity conditions, allowing us to validate the Earth-based findings from our prior research,” said Diaz Artiles, an associate professor of aerospace engineering. “Early results are very promising, as LBNP is producing the expected effects on fluid redistribution and reinforcing its potential as an effective countermeasure for use in space.”

Researchers have completed one of four parabolic flights planned for the next 18-24 months. Their main goal is to characterize the impacts of varying LBNP levels by collecting cardiovascular markers, including jugular vein flow, heart rate, and blood pressure. By quantifying the effects of spaceflight on cardiovascular health, researchers can inform space agencies and other actors on what countermeasures are needed to ensure astronaut health.

“By better understanding the body’s physiological responses to LBNP in microgravity, we can ultimately develop personalized countermeasures for astronauts, tailored to their individual health risks and physiological profiles,” said Diaz Artiles. 

This internationally collaborative project provides participating students, like Pentinat Llurba, with a unique educational opportunity. Parabolic flights are a rare opportunity for researchers at any level, and Diaz Artiles is proud to provide her students with this chance. 

Additional collaborators include Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, the University of California Davis, the University of Florida, the Spanish Space Agency, Centro de Instrucción de Medicina Aeroespacial, and Lockheed Martin.