Astronauts work out for around 90 minutes a day onboard the International Space Station to combat the muscle and bone weakening effects of microgravity. But exercise is just as important for mental and physical health on Earth.

ESA exercise team lead Nora Petersen explains how exercise specialists work with ESA astronauts to prepare them for a mission, some of the most important exercises on board and what happens upon an astronaut’s return to get them back in pre-flight shape.

The United Nations World Health Organization marks World Health Day on 7 April every year. The third Sustainable Development Goal underlines the right to health: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. On-orbit research, space technology and space applications can help improve health on Earth by monitoring our environment, helping track disease, improving diagnostics, and working on new medicines among other things. The UN is also focusing particularly this year on universal health coverage.

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