In weightlessness, astronauts’ bodies lose muscle and bone density, eyes change, fluids shift to the brain and more – our bodies adapted to life on Earth and are not designed for spaceflight. Finding ways to stay healthy in orbit is a large part of human spaceflight research.
Dry-immersion baths are used to recreate aspects of living in weightlessness on Earth. Similar to bath tubs, containers hold study participants in suspension for many days. Volunteers lay down in containers similar to bathtubs covered with a waterproof fabric to keep them dry and evenly suspended in water. As a result, the body experiences ‘supportlessness’ – something close to what astronauts feel while floating on the International Space Station.
This is the only the second time a dry immersion campaign takes place with all-female participants, and it is a first for Europe. ESA decided to launch the study, called Vivaldi, to address the gender gap in science data.
The studies benefit from placing less pressure on the body as volunteers are supported and suspended evenly in the tub, a condition that mimics the floating astronauts experience on the International Space Station.
The results from this type of research does not only benefit astronauts but has implications for people on Earth who are bedridden for long periods of time for example.