<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Future spacecraft and crew habitats are anticipated to use a moderately hypobaric and hypoxic cabin atmosphere to reduce the risk of decompression sickness associated with extravehicular activity. This has raised concerns about potential hypoxia-mediated adverse effects on astronauts. Noninvasive technology for measuring tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) has been developed for clinical use and may be helpful in monitoring oxygenation during spaceflight. We conducted a technical evaluation of a handheld StO2 monitor during a series of parabolic flights, and then undertook a preliminary analysis of the data obtained during the flights from six individuals. The StO2 monitor operated normally in all gravity conditions. There was considerable variability in StO2 between and within individuals. Overall, transition to microgravity was associated with a small decrease in StO2 of 1.1±0.3%. This evaluation has established the basic function of this technology in microgravity and demonstrates the potential for exploring its use in space.</abstract>

Future spacecraft and crew habitats are anticipated to use a moderately hypobaric and hypoxic cabin atmosphere to reduce the risk of decompression sickness associated with extravehicular activity. This has raised concerns about potential hypoxia-mediated adverse effects on astronauts. Noninvasive technology for measuring tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) has been developed for clinical use and may be helpful in monitoring oxygenation during spaceflight. We conducted a technical evaluation of a handheld StO2 monitor during a series of parabolic flights, and then undertook a preliminary analysis of the data obtained during the flights from six individuals. The StO2 monitor operated normally in all gravity conditions. There was considerable variability in StO2 between and within individuals. Overall, transition to microgravity was associated with a small decrease in StO2 of 1.1±0.3%. This evaluation has established the basic function of this technology in microgravity and demonstrates the potential for exploring its use in space.

Monitoring Tissue Oxygen Saturation in Microgravity on Parabolic Flights

Centre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences

Royal Air Force Centre of Aviation Medicine

Gravitational and Space Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Monitoring Tissue Oxygen Saturation in Microgravity on Parabolic Flights"}

Future spacecraft and crew habitats are anticipated to use a moderately hypobaric and hypoxic cabin atmosphere to reduce the risk of decompression sickness...

Monitoring Tissue Oxygen Saturation in Microgravity on Parabolic Flights

Article Category: Reseach Article

Publié en ligne: 18 juil. 2020

Pages: 2 - 7

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/gsr-2016-0007

Mots clés
StO, Hypoxia, Hypobaric Cabin, Weightlessness, Zero, Suborbital Spaceflight

© 2020 Thomas G. Smith et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Monitoring Tissue Oxygen Saturation in Microgravity on Parabolic Flights

Article Category: Reseach Article

Publié en ligne: 18 juil. 2020

Pages: 2 - 7

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/gsr-2016-0007

Mots clésStO, Hypoxia, Hypobaric Cabin, Weightlessness, Zero, Suborbital Spaceflight

© 2020 Thomas G. Smith et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Mots clés
StO, Hypoxia, Hypobaric Cabin, Weightlessness, Zero, Suborbital Spaceflight