Main results of medical support to the crews of the International Space Station
- Paper number
IAC-06-B4.3.01
- Author
Dr. Anatoly I. Grigoriev, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia
- Coauthor
Mr. Valery V. Bogomolov, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia
- Coauthor
Dr. Igor Goncharov, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia
- Coauthor
Dr. Irina Alferova, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia
- Coauthor
Dr. Vladimir P. Katuntsev, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia
- Coauthor
Dr. Yuri Osipov, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia
- Year
2006
- Abstract
Purpose of the paper is to overview the Russian data of monitoring health, environment, and implementation of in-flight countermeasures by the ISS crews over the period from November 2000 till March 2006. On the current phase of ISS construction and operation, biomedical support has been provided to 12 main and 9 visiting crews launched and landed in Russian Soyuz vehicles. Length of the ISS missions varied between 129 and 196 days; the visiting missions were 8 to 11 days long. To fulfill the ISS piloted program, the executive multilateral medical organs and integrated medical operations structure were established. Besides, practical knowledge and methods and means for medical support of crews of the Russian space stations were used as a starting point. Health of the main and visiting crews transported to the ISS and back in the Russian vehicles is under the care of the Russian medical support structure and dependent on procedures and equipment similar to what was precedently utilized during the MIR program. Russian spacesuit Orlan was used for 18 ISS egresses. Each egress was fulfilled with participation of two crewmembers. So far, the EVA crews number 12 Russian cosmonauts and 10 NASA astronauts. Physiological reactions of cosmonauts were adequate to the type of work and level of psycophysiological straining. The sanitary-hygienic as well as radiation conditions on the station complied, as a rule, with the ISS safety requirements. Inadmissible noise exceeding the ISS acoustics limits by 4-16 dBA has been repelled with special hearing protection procedures. Post-flight health deviations in cosmonauts were individual by character and mostly indicative of the measure to which the in-flight countermeasures had been applied. As for the ISS medical concerns, it might be well to point out the temporary scarcity of foodstuff during ISS-10 at end of 2004, finger pain and skin abrasions, and general fatigue on completion of multi-hour hard EVA. The periods of joint missions with the visiting crews, ISS crew rotation, pre- and EVA days, and damage control demanded sleep shifting for the ISS crew toward later hours, overloading, and work during the weekend that gave rise to occasional symptoms of jetlag in the cosmonauts. Maintenance of crews health and efficiency despite intensive work loading speaks in favour of the ISS medical support system which constantly undergoes further improvement and integration.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-B4.3.01.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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