Health from Space Research: Austrian Accomplishments

198 Pages·1992·10.77 MB·English

by  Ch. Feichtinger

Austrian Society for Aerospace Medicine (ASM) (ed.)
Health/rom
Space Research
Austrian Accomplishments
Springer-Verlag Wien New York
Sponsored
by
Austrian Ministry for Science and Research
This work is subject to copyright.
All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned,
specifically those of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, broadcasting,
reproduction by photocopying machine or similar means, and storage in data
banks.
© 1992 by Springer-VerJag/Wien
Printed on acid-free paper
With 103 Figures
ISBN-13 :978-3-211-82413-9 e-ISBN-13 :978-3-7091-9260-3
DOl: 10.1007/978-3-7091-9260-3
Foreword
Biomedical research is often done in a highly reductionistic way. Small
subsystems are studied in artificial setups, and the results are hardly ap
plicable to the system as a whole, e.g., humans adapting to an ever
changing environment of high complexity. A recent analysis of physiol
ogy's future, carried out by the APS-Long Range Planning Committee,
arrives at the conclusion that" ... the next revolution in biological scien
ces will be in the integrative-organismic area and requires bridges be
tween highly specialized established subdisciplines which are sound on
scientific and methodical grounds". Such integrative planning, hypo
thesis testing, systems analysis, and validation can be boosted by ambi
tious integrative research projects.
The field of space life sciences and applied physiology can only
flourish if high-profile scientific and operational cooperation can be
maintained. Multi-center research entities are required which allow for
coordinated planning and action. In order to start discussion along
those lines on a European basis, a research group, dedicated to space
biomedicine for more than a decade, organized and hosted the 1986
workshop, "European Space Medicine and Biology: Systems Analysis,
Cooperation and Coordination (SPAMCO-meeting)", and the 1987
Third European Symposium on Life Sciences in Space in Graz, Austria.
Another group established ties with Russian spaceflight physicians sev
eral years ago. The extremely successful achievement of the first Aus
trian manned space mission AUSTROMIR, both in terms of opera
tional as well as technical and scientific aspects, represents a highlight
within the frame of joint scientific activities in Austria.
Spaceflight experiments are extremely expensive and cannot easi
ly be repeated. It is therefore essential to arrive at outputs which are
well accepted and recognized by the scientific community. Scientists
who forge concepts for monitoring human physiology in complex and
unusual situations must have access to a suitable infrastructure. The
newly funded Austrian Society for Aerospace Medicine provides a ba-
VI Foreword
sis for multi-disciplinary approaches to spaceflight biomedical re
search. Diagnostic, prognostic and elective, operational and preventive
measures can be fostered by the activities ofthe Society. Examples are,
e.g., health status monitoring, space sickness, crew compliance, waste
management, food supply, ergonomics, or deconditioning counter
measures.
I am of the firm conviction that Austrian space life scientists have
an important mission to pursue. Besides their research responsibilities,
they are called upon to provide good arguments for continuation of the
scientific treatment of global problems which are of concern to all of us.
Earth is a great spaceship, with a unique life support system the func
tioning of which seems to be jeopardized. Manned space flight chal
lenges us with specific questions about life support in a hostile envi
ronment. Learning from the right answers will also help us to better
manage biomedical problems down on Earth.
This booklet should be regarded as a documentation of recent
work and provide an overview of concepts and capacities which should
be employed on a national basis in the near future. I do hope that these
concepts not only fit well into an international scientific frame but also
will be the basis for continuing successful research activities.
Vizekanzler Dr. Erhard Busek
Bundesminister fiir Wissenschaft und Forschung
July 1992
Foreword
Space physiology and space medicine are comparatively new sciences
and grew primarily out of the basic necessity to put man safely into
space and bring him back again. It would however be incorrect to state
that despite the years of experience gained by the main spacefaring na
tions, each reaction of the human body exposed to the conditions of
space is fully understood and recognized.
Weightlessness and cosmic radiation are rather used as an exten
sion of earthbound studies and can thus be considered as research tools.
Most importantly, humans can be exposed to those physical environ
mental conditions which can be neither adequately simulated nor re
produced on Earth. As opposed to the traditional space sciences such as
astrophysics, science in space has become an important branch in phys
iology, biology and medicine worldwide. Some of its results have al
ready had a beneficial impact on daily life.
It can therefore be considered an outstanding achievement that a
country like Austria, with no previous experience, was in a position to
launch such an ambitious project as Austromir and carry it to a suc
cessful conclusion. Comprising a total of ten individual experiments, in
particular in the fields of neurophysiology, the cardiovascular and mus
cular system, as well as genetics and radiation dosimetry, the life
sciences by far outnumbered the other projects within the scientific part
of the mission. It is difficult to predict what value the individual contri
butions and results will have with regard to scientific success or prac
tical use but one important aspect has to be kept in mind: as for all
earthbound experiments and in particular for physiology, the quality
will be measured in terms of reproducibility of results and their statisti
cal validity. It is this factor which challenges the ingenuity and fantasy
of the researcher, in particular when with the extremely small number
of test subjects, rare flight opportunities and time and space constraints
for both man and research equipment, the same results should be
brought about.
VIII Foreword
These elements, especially when they are paired with international
collaboration, lead to real progress and success in science and thus also
to the success of a single mission. The coming years will confirm the
need for and importance of continuing such a strategy. This applies to
both the single investigations as well as to whole missions. As in any
other branch of science, it is hoped that the initial investment fell on
fruitful ground, that the scientists be kept motivated by further opportu
nities and that their results be considered as building blocks within the
overall scientific achievement. Last but not least, success should be
measured in the same way as for any branch of science, in the long
term, i.e. within a framework of many years of repeated experiments,
bringing about the ultimate success.
July 1992 Dr. med. H. Oser
ESA HQ, Paris
Austrian Society for Aerospace Medicine
(ASM)
ASM was established in 1991 and pursues the following aims:
• To plan, coordinate and implement scientific research in the field of
aerospace medicine and space life sciences on a national and inter
national level.
• To foster inter-disciplinary approaches.
• To adapt instrumentation and methods employed in space medical
research to terrestrial applications for medical diagnosis, therapy,
prevention and rehabilitation.
• To issue publications and provide information to the broad public
concerning aerospace medicine and space life sciences.
• To collaborate with partner institutions at home and abroad.
Who is who in ASM:
The committee presently consists of
Prof. Dr. Franz Gerstenbrand, Innsbruck (president)
Prof. Dr. Helmut Hinghofer-Szalkay, Graz (vice president)
Prof. Dr. Norbert Bachl, Vienna (secretary general)
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Norbert Vana, Vienna (treasurer)
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Wolfgang Wehrmann, Vienna
Dr. Wolf Friihauf, Vienna
If you are interested in the activities of ASM, please write to:
Austrian Society for Aerospace Medicine / Life Sciences in Space,
Auf der Schmelz 6, A-11S0 Vienna, Austria.
Contents
Feichtinger Ch., Josseck B., Berzhatyi V., Batenchuk-Tusko T.,
Kozharinov V.: Acceptance-, Qualification-and Delivery
Procedures for AUSTROMIR '91 Hardware .......................... .
Harich H, Friedmann M., Kronke I.:
Countdown for AUSTROMIR ................................................. 11
Persterer A., Berger M., Koppensteiner C, Muller C,
Nefjodova M., Opitz M.: AUDIMIR - Directional Hearing
at Microgravity .... ..... ....... .............. ......... ........... ....................... 21
HinghoJer-Szalkay H G., Konig E. M., Noskov N B.,
Sauseng-Fellegger G.: BODYFLUIDS .................................... 39
Benke Th., Koserenko 0., Gerstenbrand F.: COGIMIR - How
to Measure Cognitive Functions in Space.... .......... ........ ........... 55
w.,
Vana N, Schoener Fugger M., Akatov J. A.:
DOSIMIR - Radiation Measurements Inside the
Soviet Space Station MIR ........................ ........ ........ ........ ......... 65
Gallasch E., Moser M., Kenner T., Kozlovskaya I., Konev A.,
Borisov M.: Experiment MIKROVIB - Investigation of
Tremors in Microgravity .............. .......... .................... ........ ....... 85
Tuschl H, Klein W., Kovac R., Ott E., Chajdakow M. S.,
Voronkov Y. J.: Experiment MIRGEN ...................................... 109
Berger M., Gerstenbrand F., Kozlovskaya I. B., Burlatchkova N,
Muigg A., Sokolov A., Babaev B., GrillI., Borisov M.,
DeCol C, Holzmuller G., Hochmair E., Steinwender G.:
Eye, Head and Arm Coordination and Spinal Reflexes in
Weightlessness - MONIMIR Experiment.. .......... .................... 119
XII Contents
Bachl N., Baron R., Tschan H., Mossaheb M., Stockhammer H.,
w.,
Bumba Kozlovskaya I., Kharitonov K., Albrecht R.,
Hildebrand F., Witt M., Knauf M.: Development and
Implementation of the MOTOMIR Experiment on the
MIR Space Station ..................................................................... 137
Mueller Chr., Komilova L., Wiest G., Deecke L.: OPTOVERT
Vertical Optokinetic Stimulation Used to Examine Central
Orientational Processes ............................................................. 155
Moser M., Gallasch E., Rafolt D., Jerne} G., Kemp c.,
Moser-Kneffel E., Kenner T., Baevskij R., Funtowa I.:
Cardiovascular Monitoring in Microgravity -
The experiments PULSTRANS and SLEEP.. ...... ...... ............... 167
List of First Autors ... ......... ........ .......... ............ ..... ... ... ...... ............... 191