Summary
In this podcast episode, former astronaut Leland Melvin discusses his experience with space travel and the physical challenges that come with it. He explains that astronauts need to exercise for two hours a day to maintain cardiovascular shape, and that this includes running on a treadmill with devices that weigh them down. Dr. Shayna Gifford, a resident physician in rehabilitation, also joins the conversation to discuss her experience on the 2015-2016 high seas four one-year mission to virtual Mars. They also discuss the possibility of using higher gravity planets for athletic training and the ethics of such a practice.
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson talks about his experience participating in space simulations as an analog astronaut. He spent a week locked in a spacecraft at Johnson Space Center and then spent a year living on the side of a barren volcano as part of a simulated Mars mission. Dr. Tyson also discussed the Mission Astro Access experiment, where 12 people who were adapted visually, auditorially, vestibularly, and mobility-wise were put into microgravity to see how they could adapt to the environment.
The hosts and guests also discuss the challenges of readjusting to Earth's gravity after spending time in microgravity on the International Space Station. Dr. Shayna Gifford, a rehabilitation expert, explains the process of re-acclimating astronauts to Earth's gravity, which involves reminding their bodies how to walk and move in a 1G environment. They also discuss the possibility of creating artificial gravity to mitigate these issues for future space missions.
In addition to physical challenges, the hosts discuss the effects of being in space on the human body, including immune system issues and psychological problems. They also talk about the cleanliness of the International Space Station and how astronauts exercise for two hours a day. The episode ends with a shoutout to the para-astronauts program and a reminder to keep looking up. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of understanding the impact of microgravity on the human body for future space travel.
