Medical Care in Microgravity

By Tina Beychok

Previously in this column, we had discussed medical guidelines created by the Space Passenger Task Force for space tourists taking orbital flights. The list of medical disqualifications was quite extensive. Now, the Task Force has come out with another set of guidelines for tourists wishing to take short-duration suborbital flights. These guidelines were published in the January issue of Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine.

The requirements for the suborbital commercial flight were: small spacecraft carrying four to six passengers; cabin maintained at "shirt-sleeve" sea-level condition; maximum acceleration of 2.0 to 4.5 G; and about 30 minutes of microgravity. The Task Force addressed specific medical conditions, including motion sickness, pregnancy and conditions that might cause sudden incapacitation.

Although these guidelines were not as stringent as for tourists wishing to take orbital flights, the Task Force still concluded that a thorough medical history is required from potential suborbital passengers.

Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine can be found online at: www.asma.org/Publication/.

Tina Beychok is a medical editor and is married to OASIS president Steve Bartlett. When not working as a space activist, she teaches fencing at Renaissance Fairs and greatly enjoys allowing five-year-olds to poke holes in her.