Human Space Travel Research
From studies that seek to understand how the human body adapts to time in space to research on spacesuits and spacecraft, NASA works to ensure the safety of astronauts as they push the boundaries of space exploration.
The Body in Space
What happens to the human body during spaceflight?
Spaceflight affects bones, muscles, vision, and more. Life on the International Space Station unfolds in close quarters, which could affect astronauts’ moods. Travel to the Moon, Mars, and beyond will require new systems to provide medical care far from Earth. Learn more about the changes humans may undergo during spaceflight, as well as the steps NASA takes to keep astronauts healthy and safe.
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Research in Space
Studies on the space station help prepare future crew for trips into deeper space.
NASA will soon send astronauts to the Moon, and will one day send astronauts to Mars. To get mission-ready, NASA seeks to learn all they can about how human physiology and psychology changes while astronauts live and work on the space station. Learn more about how scientists seek to maintain the health and well-being of crew members during and after their missions.
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Research on Earth
NASA conducts Earth-bound simulations of life in space.
Simulated space missions conducted on Earth help NASA examine crew health and team dynamics without launching into space. Some simulations happen in closed laboratory settings, others take place in remote regions like Antarctica. Using such missions, scientists can study in detail and in larger populations how humans adapt to challenges astronauts may encounter on missions to the Moon and Mars.
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Extended Stays in Space
Learn more about the record-holders for the longest continuous spaceflights by U.S. astronauts.
Frank Rubio, Mark Vande Hei, Scott Kelly, Christina Koch, and Peggy Whitson have spent an extended amount of time in space, helping to pave the way for even longer, future exploration missions. Their missions help researchers better understand how the human body adapts to the extreme environment of space for more distant missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
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Collaborate with Us
Learn how you can help NASA prepare for future spaceflight.
Are you developing innovative ways to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready as space travel expands to the Moon, Mars, and beyond? Partner with NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP)! Check out information on NSPIRES and internships, and explore our how-to guides for working with us.
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Spacewalk Spacesuit Basics
Spacesuits are much more than a set of clothes astronauts wear. However, like a set of clothes, different suits serve different…
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Top Five Technologies Needed for a Spacecraft to Survive Deep Space
When a spacecraft built for humans ventures into deep space, it requires an array of features to keep it and…
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Food in Space
Astronauts require food that is nutritious, appetizing, long-lasting, easy to make, and more. We strive to continuously improve the quality of space food and to satisfy the dietary needs of crew members on increasingly longer and more distant spaceflight missions.
Space simulations on Earth as a research tool
Take a peek into the lives of crew on a simulated mission to Mars. Confined inside NASA's Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), these crew help researchers study how teams overcome isolation and confinement to accomplish mission-critical tasks.
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Benefits to Humanity
Space exploration unites the world to inspire the next generation, make ground-breaking discoveries, and create new opportunities.
Technologies and missions we develop for human spaceflight have thousands of applications on Earth, boosting the economy, creating new career paths, and advancing everyday technologies all around us.
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