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Over the last few weeks, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) scientists and engineers on the ground in the Payload Telescience Operations Centre (PTOC) supported nine on-orbit science sessions on the International Space Station (ISS). With the help of astronauts, they conducted activities for Canadian science experiments CARDIOBREATH, Space Health and Vascular Aging.
As part of these experiments, astronauts wear the Bio-Monitor, a Canadian innovative all-in-one wearable technology. This system allows scientists to record astronauts’ vital signs and to receive data directly from space, enabling faster analysis. It also has the potential to help Canadians who are bedridden, housebound, or living in remote areas with limited access to medical support.
CARDIOBREATH
Weightlessness can cause health issues for astronauts. Studying how cardiorespiratory system deconditioning affects the control of blood pressure in a weightless environment will help researchers come up with ways to keep astronauts healthy. The cardiorespiratory changes that happen in space are like what happens as people age on Earth. The CARDIOBREATH study could help develop recovery protocols for astronauts, and lead to better health solutions for elderly patients and all Canadians.
The Space Health study
Space flight is hard on the body. Low levels of gravity, exposure to radiation, increased stress – these factors affect an astronaut in ways that can lead to cardiovascular disease. The Space Health study uses Bio-Monitor data, analyzed by an AI computing platform, to assess how astronauts’ cardiovascular systems function on the ISS.
Vascular Aging
The Vascular Aging experiment, part of the Vascular Series, looks at astronauts’ heart health in space. Researchers aim to identify the specific cause of increased arterial stiffness in astronauts, confirm if and when insulin resistance develops during a space mission, and clarify the effect of radiation exposure on cardiovascular health. They also track astronauts’ recovery once they’re back on Earth.
Discover the role of scientists and engineers on Earth when they assist astronauts onboard the ISS with conducting science experiments.
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