AAD expeditioners at the forefront of research critical for astronauts on space missions

From isolation to extreme environments, Australian Antarctic Division expeditioners are trialling new tech for astronauts on future space missions.

Antarctica’s remote and hostile environment makes it a good analogue for space. Picture: ©Tony Fleming/Australian Antarctic Division

From isolation to extreme environments, dangerous work to confined populations, understanding the challenges of Antarctica’s harshest conditions on expeditioners is critical for astronauts in space.

It’s why Antarctic doctors are currently trialling new medical technologies on expeditioners that will be used to understand and manage astronaut health in future space missions.

It comes as the Australian Antarctic Division and Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Space Medicine’s Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) announced their five-year research partnership on Thursday.

TRISH, which is backed by NASA Human Research Program, will fund approved research projects directed at understanding how to monitor, diagnose and optimise astronaut health.

“Antarctic expeditioners and astronauts are examples of isolated, confined populations in extreme environments, doing hazardous work, dependent on technology for survival, and with limited scope for evacuation,” AAD chief medical officer Dr Jeff Ayton said.

Dr Jeff Ayton, AAP Chief Medical Officer (left) and Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta, TRISH’s Chief Medical Officer, are leading the collaborative work in Antarctica. Picture: © Simon Payne/Australian Antarctic Division

“This makes Australia’s Antarctic Program an excellent analogue for understanding the risks to humans in space and for testing and developing technologies and methodologies to reduce these risks.”

Dr Ayton said the collaboration includes research in behavioural, physiological, epidemiological and immunological areas as well as telemedicine and technology demonstrations.

“The work will inform how to monitor, diagnose and optimise astronaut health as they experience the extended stress of isolation and confinement during space missions,” he said.

This wearable biosensor, trialled by Antarctic expeditioners, will be used on the Polaris Dawn space mission later this year. Picture: ©Pete Harmsen/Australian Antarctic Division

Devices, including a wearable biosensor that remotely monitors temperature, heart rate and respiration rate, and new ultrasound technology are currently being trialled across Antarctic stations.

“Since 2021 we’ve been using these biosensors to assess for early signs of COVID-19 infection in expeditioners deploying to Antarctica,” Dr Ayton said.

Mawson Station Leader Catherine Humphries (left) and Environmental Officer Albert Peterson trial new ultrasound technology that will allow people with no prior medical experience to generate clinically useful images for diagnosis back at AAD headquarters, or space ‘mission control’ Picture: ©Marissa Woodburn/Australian Antarctic Division

“Our work demonstrated the effectiveness of this technology in a remote and extreme environment, and as a result, the biosensors will be used on the Polaris Dawn space mission in the coming months.”

Australia’s Antarctic tractor traverse capability is a useful model for space research. The traverse transports personnel and equipment from Casey research station to remote field locations. This is similar to a lunar lander travelling between a lunar outpost (space station) and the moon. Picture: ©Sharon Labudda/Australian Antarctic Division

TRISH executive director Dr Dorit Donoviel said the findings for the research could lead to meaningful health advances for NASA’s trips to the Moon and Mars and healthcare on Earth.

“Our international collaboration with the Australian Antarctic Division will extract insights to benefit all future astronauts, as well as other explorers of extreme environments,” he said.

“This collaboration will inform healthcare technologies and practices used in other remote environments, including remote and regional Australia.

“There are significant potential benefits for monitoring metabolic health, for example, in isolated communities that experience a higher proportion of health risk factors compared to metropolitan communities, as well as reduced access to medical care.