I read an interesting article in the New York Times online today entitled NASA Seeks Volunteers to Spend 3 Weeks in Bed (It’s Tougher Than You Think). Apparently, according one of the NASA scientists (Dr. Liz Warren)working on the project, its been difficult to find volunteers.

The article intriqued me, so I went to NASA’s website, and found some very interesting things. If you go to a NASA page, One Man’s Rest is Another Man’s Research you’ll find out that NASA is interested in doing ground research to find out the effect of weightlessness on the human body. According to Bill Paloski, principal scientist in the Human Adaptation and Countermeasures Office (sounds like an office on the TV show 24):

“during extended bed rest, muscles begin to atrophy and bone density decreases. It’s a use-‘em-or-lose-‘em sort of situation. At the same time, your overall fitness level decreases because your heart isn’t working as hard to pump your blood. The same thing happens when astronauts spend weeks and months floating around in space – they don’t need to use more than a fingertip to propel themselves across the room, so their muscles go on vacation. ”

So, to find out about the effect of prolonged exposure to weightlessness, NASA has designed two studies: The Bed Rest Study and Artificial Gravity Study. NASA is seeking volunteers for these spaceflight simulation studies. The Human Test Subject Facility (HTSF) at the Johnson Space Center is responsible for providing qualified test participants for this ground-based research.

The 119 day Bed Rest Study begins with an 11 – 15 day period in which participants are confined to a small “bed room”; during this period they are allowed to move around and do normal things. For the next 90 days they lie in bed with their body slightly tilted downward (head down, feet up); awake 16 hours; sleep 8 hours. How many of us can do this! During this time tests are administered to find changes in the state of their bone, muscle, heart, and circulatory system, and nervous system. During the next 14 days (recovery period—I guess so!), participants can move about their little room.

If you participate in the 41 day Artificial Gravity Study, you will also be placed into a small “bed room” but you will not have to withstand the 90 days of lying on your back. Eleven days of getting ready are followed by 21 days confined to bed rest, except some individuals will be assigned to the control group. These volunteers will be placed on a centrifuge (simulating gravity) for 1 hour/day but you will not have daily spins! This sounds very interesting. Take a look at the centrifuge:

Ok. Are you ready to volunteer? NASA is looking for individuals that resemble the NASA astronaut population. If you are in shape, you can apply online and if you are accepted, help NASA find out the effects of space flight on the human body. Volunteers?