Dry immersion beds at Medes

Dry immersion beds at Medes in Toulouse, France. 

Similar to bath tubs, containers hold a volunteer for a number of days in suspension to simulate aspects of spaceflight.

Dry-immersion studies benefit from placing less pressure on the body as volunteers are supported and suspended evenly in the tub, a condition that mimics the floating astronauts experience on the International Space Station.

In weightlessness, astronauts’ bodies lose muscle and bone density, eyes change, fluids shift to the brain and more – our bodies adapted to life on Earth and are not designed for spaceflight.

Finding ways to stay healthy in orbit is a large part of human spaceflight research. The more test subjects the better, but sending people into space is expensive and hard.

The organisations running the studies make their own announcements for bedrest and dry immersion volunteers. Follow their sites if you are still interested in doing your part for human spaceflight science.

The results from this type of research does not only benefit astronauts but has implications for people on Earth who are bedridden for long periods of time for example.