Flight Analogs Project (FAP)
The Flight Analogs Project (FAP) currently underway at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston, provides NASA with a ground-based research platform to complement space research. Head down bed rest closely imitates the detrimental effects of microgravity on the human body. A series of studies are being performed on bed rest subjects to determine the effects of microgravity and to develop countermeasures to significantly reduce or eliminate these effects on the human body. By simulating the physiological conditions of weightlessness here on Earth, NASA can test and refine scientific theories and procedures on the ground before using these in space. The Flight Analogs Project is one way NASA will answer questions about future space exploration as well as devise methods to ensure astronaut health, safety and productivity.
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