Opportunities for Life-Sciences Research in Commercial Suborbital Space Flight Mark Shelhamer, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Suborbital Applications Researchers Group, Commercial Spaceflight Federation)

Life-sciences research areas Life-sciences research areas 1. Medical operations and human factors Flight testing and qualification, procedures and hardware Flight testing and qualification, procedures and hardware In-flight surgery, equipment training In-flight surgery, equipment training 2. Bioastronautics Applied research, relevant to NASA exploration missions Applied research, relevant to NASA exploration missions Effects of g transitions on physiology & performance Effects of g transitions on physiology & performance 3. Operational research for passengers/crew Keeping passengers safe & comfortable (wide range of health & fitness levels) Keeping passengers safe & comfortable (wide range of health & fitness levels) Motion sickness, vertigo, latent balance problems Motion sickness, vertigo, latent balance problems Possible cardiovascular, psychological effects Possible cardiovascular, psychological effects 4. Basic research relevant to terrestrial health and function Role of gravity in biasing vestibular sensors Role of gravity in biasing vestibular sensors Reference frames for sensorimotor function Reference frames for sensorimotor function

Unique opportunities provided by suborbital flight Large, diverse passenger base (study effects of gender, age, fitness, etc.) Researchers can fly as subjects and operators Frequent flyers allow for repeated testing to assess adaptation Fewer constraints on payloads – rapid access, easier logistical burden Access to g transition Ability to launch in sync with circadian rhythms, other time points Rapid access to subjects/samples before and after flight Study process with time constants between parabolic flight and orbital flight Vestibular & sensorimotor, deposition of particulates in lungs Acute cellular responses, fertilization and early development in 0g

Operational Research How to improve the customer experience Precedent: parabolic flight [Vomit Comet] Precedent: parabolic flight [Vomit Comet] About 50% of first-time flyers are sick About 50% of first-time flyers are sick Adaptation is rapid (1-3 flights) Adaptation is rapid (1-3 flights) Neurovestibular Neurovestibular Migraine: ~25% of population, ~20% dizziness component (motion sensitivity) Migraine: ~25% of population, ~20% dizziness component (motion sensitivity) Benign positional vertigo: BPPV Benign positional vertigo: BPPV Mal de debarquement: disembarkment syndrome Mal de debarquement: disembarkment syndrome  Screening, detection of undiagnosed vestibular disorders, pre-adaptation  Screening, detection of undiagnosed vestibular disorders, pre-adaptation Cardiovascular Cardiovascular Dramatic autonomic stimulus Dramatic autonomic stimulus  Screening, training  Screening, training Psychological Psychological Identification of key sensory stimuli that might lead to anxiety/discomfort (noise, vibration) Identification of key sensory stimuli that might lead to anxiety/discomfort (noise, vibration)  Screening, pre-flight habituation  Screening, pre-flight habituation Problem equalizing pressure during rapid changes Problem equalizing pressure during rapid changes Glaucoma and other g/pressure effects on eye Glaucoma and other g/pressure effects on eye Intra-cranial pressure changes Intra-cranial pressure changes Possible radiation effects on repeat flyers Possible radiation effects on repeat flyers

Basic Research Use of altered g-level to investigate biomedical processes Basic-research issues Basic-research issues Neurovestibular – role of otolith organs (VEMPS, pitch VOR) Neurovestibular – role of otolith organs (VEMPS, pitch VOR) Role of gravity in orientation perception – external and internal Role of gravity in orientation perception – external and internal Motor control and the role of gravity Motor control and the role of gravity Gas mixing in lung Gas mixing in lung Baroreceptors – initial vasodilation in 0g – cortical and blood-pressure effects Baroreceptors – initial vasodilation in 0g – cortical and blood-pressure effects Effects on immune system function – immediate leukocyte effects Effects on immune system function – immediate leukocyte effects Stress hormone secretion Stress hormone secretion