Project launched to boost astronauts’ strength in space

Astronauts will receive electrical stimulation on their muscles to see if it can help them stay strong and fit during spaceflight, and to help aid their recovery once they return to Earth.

Due to the lack of gravitational pull in space, the size and strength of an astronauts’ muscles can reduce by as much as 20 per cent when on a space mission.

This decline in muscle mass and strength can also be seen in the elderly or individuals with reduced mobility, which has a significant impact on their ability to perform daily life activities like climbing the stairs.

Because of this, scientists, including researchers from the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, are investigating whether or not Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) – a non-invasive method that sends electrical pulses to the nerves, causing the muscles to contract – can help prevent muscle wastage.

This experiment not only holds the potential to understand the impact of space on muscle health and enhance astronaut well-being in the demanding environment of space, but its findings may also contribute to further advance innovative solutions with valuable applications both in space and here on Earth.

Researchers expect that by undertaking NMES in-flight, astronauts will be able to reduce the amount of daily exercise needed to maintain muscle mass – including aerobic exercise and endurance training.

This should help them not only on their space mission, but also to recover quicker when they return to Earth.

Hans Degens, Professor in Muscle Physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “When in space, individuals become weaker, they lose muscles mass, bone mass and there are other health impacts as well.  

“To try and prevent some of this, they need to do between two and two and a half hours of exercise every day, just to stop some of the muscle wastage and decline that is taking place.  

“Not only does this take up a lot of time that they might not have, but it isn’t always effective in every individual.

“So, what we have suggested is that the muscles could be electrically stimulated. These sorts of methods are currently used for weight loss, but there could be a use here for astronauts in space and if effective it may significantly reduce exercise time for them.

“On top of this, NMES could also be applied to diminish the impacts being hospitalised can have on muscle strength in patients with chronic illnesses such heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It could help them to regain some muscle function.”

For the study, astronauts from both the European Space Agency and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will be analysed before and after spaceflight.

Scientists will take blood samples and measure muscle strength to establish any changes in leg muscle mass, muscle metabolism and muscle function.

Once in space, half of the participants will use a small, light-weight device to electrically stimulate their muscles daily, during their in-flight mission.

To do this, they will apply electrodes to the skin, which will send electrical pulses to their muscles.

The other half of participants will not undertake NMES and will only take part in traditional exercise practices currently used by astronauts to help prevent muscle wastage.

Once they return to Earth, both groups will be analysed once again to determine the effectiveness of NMES in counteracting muscle decline in space.

These sorts of methods are currently used for weight loss, but there could be a use here for astronauts in space and if effective it may significantly reduce exercise time for them 

Ines Antunes, Muscle Stimulation Science Coordinator at the European Space Agency, said: “As part of our ongoing efforts to advance space exploration, ESA is excited to collaborate on this ambitious scientific endeavour aboard the International Space Station.

“This experiment not only holds the potential to understand the impact of space on muscle health and enhance astronaut well-being in the demanding environment of space, but its findings may also contribute to further advance innovative solutions with valuable applications both in space and here on Earth.”

If successful in their findings, researchers not only hope this method will help astronauts on future space missions, but also any individuals who might be suffering from muscle wastage as a result of ageing or hospitalisation.

The three-year project, which launched earlier this year, involves an international team of scientists, led by the University of Trieste.

It is sponsored by the European Space Agency and NASA, and funded by the UK Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency and the German Space Agency.