Sunlight exposure primarily affects the eye and skin and is mitigated by current standards and countermeasures. An increase in the prevalence of high-power ground-based lasers capable of reaching the ISS, and possibly even the Moon, could cause acute laser exposure damaging hemorrhagic retinal lesions resulting in temporary or permanent damage to vision. Directed Acyclic Graph […]
Author: Brian Evans
Risk of Adverse Health Outcomes and Decrements in Performance due to Inflight Medical Conditions
Regardless of mission length or objectives, all human spaceflight requires some degree of in-mission medical support. The transition from a gravitational environment to microgravity, coupled with living in a closed-loop environment, can result in variable physiological effects and health risks. For example, anticipated physiological impacts of the microgravity environment include fluid redistribution and subsequent head […]
Risk of Adverse Health Outcomes and Decrements in Performance due to Inflight Medical Conditions
Regardless of mission length or objectives, all human spaceflight requires some degree of in-mission medical support. The transition from a gravitational environment to microgravity, coupled with living in a closed-loop environment, can result in variable physiological effects and health risks. For example, anticipated physiological impacts of the microgravity environment include fluid redistribution and subsequent head […]
Risk of Adverse Health Effects Due to Host-Microorganism Interactions
Exposure to the spaceflight environment evidence indicates alterations in microbial virulence and astronaut immune function. While preventive measures limit the presence of many medically significant microorganisms during spaceflight missions, microbial infection of astronauts cannot be completely prevented and does occur, despite stringent vehicle cleaning and monitoring, as well as a quarantine of astronauts prior to […]
Risk of Adverse Health Effects Due to Host-Microorganism Interactions
Exposure to the spaceflight environment evidence indicates alterations in microbial virulence and astronaut immune function. While preventive measures limit the presence of many medically significant microorganisms during spaceflight missions, microbial infection of astronauts cannot be completely prevented and does occur, despite stringent vehicle cleaning and monitoring, as well as a quarantine of astronauts prior to […]
Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
Exposure to the isolation and confinement of spaceflight can result in decrements in cognitive and behavioral functioning. While cognitive or behavioral conditions may not immediately or directly threaten total mission success, such conditions adversely impact individual and crew health, well-being, and performance, negatively impacting mission objectives. The rigorous astronaut selection and training processes and the […]
Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
Exposure to the isolation and confinement of spaceflight can result in decrements in cognitive and behavioral functioning. While cognitive or behavioral conditions may not immediately or directly threaten total mission success, such conditions adversely impact individual and crew health, well-being, and performance, negatively impacting mission objectives. The rigorous astronaut selection and training processes and the […]
Risk of Acute and Chronic Carbon Dioxide Exposure
Hostile, enclosed spaceflight environments (including space vehicles and suits) do not have the benefit of natural carbon dioxide (CO2) removal. In these environments, equipment (e.g., the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly, lithium hydroxide, and amine systems) control CO2 levels and mitigate consequences of elevated CO2 exposure. Directed Acyclic Graph Files + DAG File Information (HSRB Home Page) […]
Risk of Acute and Chronic Carbon Dioxide Exposure
Hostile, enclosed spaceflight environments (including space vehicles and suits) do not have the benefit of natural carbon dioxide (CO2) removal. In these environments, equipment (e.g., the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly, lithium hydroxide, and amine systems) control CO2 levels and mitigate consequences of elevated CO2 exposure. Directed Acyclic Graph Files + DAG File Information (HSRB Home Page) […]
Concern of Venous Thromboembolism
Note: The Concern of Venous Thromboembolism is historical and now a component of CV Risk. Stagnant or reverse flow in the internal jugular vein has been observed in 6 of 11 crew members (55%) tested in-mission on approximately flight day 50; one crewmember was found to have an occlusive internal jugular vein thrombus requiring treatment […]