With the coming reality of manned missions to Mars, astronauts have begun training to gear up for the lengthy flight. Seeing as this won’t be an easy task, NASA has been investing some serious funds into advanced training programs.
NASA PREPARES ASTRONAUTS FOR MARS
Training with the Orion spacecraft is underway for NASA astronauts. Using full gear, they will be undergoing advanced training for their future trip to Mars. NASA invested both time and money into the Orion spacecraft with a goal to one day carry human’s beyond Earth’s orbit and someday, to Mars. Using a mockup of the Orion spacecraft, NASA engineers are now evaluating how crews interact with such devices like the rotation hand controller and cursor control device while inside the spacesuits. This task, however, hasn’t exactly been easy.
TRAINING FOR DEEP SPACE
Interacting with the Orion spacecraft during deep space destinations such as Mars is something NASA is certainly concerned about. After all, it will be Orion that will serve as the main vehicle on Mars. It will also be the vessel to sustain the astronauts and bring them back from deep space. While controlling Orion, the crew will have to do it with special, advanced spacesuits. These are far from your ordinary spacesuits. The added protection will help the crew withstand harsh conditions on the red planet. The one downside to them, however, is maneuverability. For this reason, NASA is looking into alternative training methods so the astronauts can function in space without the negative effects of the bulky suit.
SMARTER STRENGTH MAY BE THE ANSWER FOR SPACE
With all the exciting advancements in technology these days, maybe the space agency should look at some of the latest start-ups for their training methods. In space, it’s important to maintain strength. However, it’s not really possible to bring a whole gym up there. Perhaps something like LiftUp would do the space agency some good. Having a smart home gym that uses resistance bands seems like the perfect thing to have in a crowded spacecraft. They can even track their workout, and analyze their progress. Strength training is hard enough on Earth, but in close quarters, size will matter. Have a portable home gym complete with real-time data tracking could prove to be a beneficial addition to deep space travel.
