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Completed TRL 3 (started at 1, targeting 7)
ISS crew rely on exercise countermeasures to mitigate health effects associated with long-duration exposure to microgravity. However, current systems are mass-, power-, and volume-intensive and are sufficient for microgravity extravehicular activities (EVA) but not completely effective for crew egress or immediate surface EVA after a long period in deep space. Mass efficient and effective exercise is needed for preventing injury and providing muscle/cardio fitness in preparation for crew activities, including surface EVA. For long-duration missions, effective exploration-compatible exercise countermeasures and assessment tools are needed for crew to accurately maintain and monitor physical health and performance during exploration missions.
The Exercise Physiology Countermeasures lab at JSC has two tasks working towards gap closure: Exploration Exercise Treadmill Requirements (Zero T2) and Exploration Exercise Capability Development (EECD).
ZeroT2’s intent is to understand the impact a treadmill has on maintaining the human systems (sensorimotor, bone, aerobic fitness, or muscle) of astronauts in microgravity. The intent of this project is to know if a treadmill is required for Artemis missions.
Artemis missions and beyond have volumetric and mass constraints that limit exercise hardware to be lightweight and have a small footprint. This has resulted in the development of exercises devices that are more compact and provide both aerobic and resistive training on one platform. Currently, these devices provide a variety of full body resistance exercise options, aerobic rowing, and cycling, but no treadmill. Treadmill is the only exercise hardware that provides ambulation or reinforcing the motor pattern of walking.
Building on FY25 formulation work (selection criteria development and comprehensive market survey), the Exercise Physiology and Countermeasures team will conduct Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) testing of aerobic monitoring technologies in FY26 (EECD). These capabilities are essential for long-duration exploration missions, providing accurate, mission-relevant physiological data that informs both real-time crew health monitoring and long-term countermeasure planning. Additionally, the Danish Aerospace Company’s Aerobic Fitness Monitor (AFM) will be included in the HITL evaluation, giving early insight into its acceptability as a next-generation VO2 monitor for use in parallel in-flight research by the ZeroT2 study. Current flight hardware is being decommissioned and its size, complexity, and the time requirements are too great for exploration missions, driving the need for selection of new technologies for future monitoring systems.
The Zero T2 study will determine the effect of exploration exercise modalities with no treadmill use during spaceflight on bone health, muscle performance, aerobic fitness, and sensorimotor performance during and after ISS missions. Data from this study is needed to inform exploration vehicle design early to avoid cost and schedule impacts associated with vehicle system re-design.
By targeting aerobic monitoring technologies, the EECD effort enables the future integration of real-time and longitudinal assessments of crew aerobic fitness, supports effective countermeasure use, and contributes directly to CMS system requirements by distinguishing viable technology solutions for meeting Mars Concepts of Operations (ConOps). The resulting evidence base will inform integration decisions within the constraints of mission architecture, vehicle design, and mission operations.
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