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Can you work out in space? Come take a look at how astronauts stay fit!
2021-08-06
Gui Yuxing Sports
At 9:22 a.m. Beijing Time on June 17, the Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft successfully… Launch The flight crew consists of astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo. Nie Haisheng will serve as the mission commander, with Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu as the backup astronauts. According to the plan, they are scheduled to remain in orbit for up to three months.
So, what does the astronauts’ “space home” look like? And how do they live up there?
The Chinese space station, designed with a “human-centered” approach, features separate living and working areas. The living area includes independent sleeping quarters and a hygiene zone, Exercise Area It is also equipped with a space kitchen and a dining area. The design prioritizes privacy and convenience to the greatest extent, significantly enhancing the astronauts’ quality of life in space.
In addition, over the years, as China’s wireless communication and IoT technologies have advanced by leaps and bounds, designers have continuously refined the original overall design, incorporating cutting-edge information technologies that have equipped the Chinese Space Station with “mobile WiFi” and created a smart‑home living environment.
Inside the Chinese Space Station, designers have equipped each astronaut with a handheld terminal. Using a dedicated app, astronauts can customize the cabin’s lighting environment to suit their individual needs—whether in sleep mode, work mode, or other settings. Sports Mode ……Different cabin lighting can help regulate astronauts’ moods, mitigating the discomfort caused by prolonged exposure to monotonous environments and ensuring that astronauts on long‑duration space missions enjoy a comfortable living experience.
Cabin interior
For astronauts, Exercise is a “daily must” for life in space. Due to prolonged exposure to microgravity, astronauts experience corresponding physiological changes throughout their bodies.
First is the alteration of cardiovascular function. In microgravity, fluids such as blood and lymph in the lower body tend to shift upward toward the thorax and head, leading to facial puffiness, a feeling of head fullness, cervical venous distension, and an elevation of the body’s center of mass. However, as the duration of spaceflight increases, the cardiovascular system can gradually adapt to these changes and establish a new equilibrium.
Cabin interior
Secondly, it can also lead to changes in the bones and muscles. Astronauts experience increased bone loss, leading to osteoporosis, and this condition persists for an extended period. Meanwhile, in a microgravity environment, muscles—particularly those of the trunk, knees, and shoulders—are subjected to reduced loading, resulting in a marked decline in strength. According to statistics, after short-duration spaceflight, astronauts can lose 10% to 20% of their muscle mass; without proactive exercise interventions, long-duration missions may result in a loss of up to 50% of muscle mass.
Therefore, the primary purpose of astronauts’ exercise is not “weight loss.” Rather, it is intended to help maintain bone strength in a weightless environment while preventing muscle atrophy. 。
Astronaut Liu Yang used a specially designed “space weighing scale” inside the Tiangong-1 module to measure her body weight.
So how does space fitness differ from terrestrial fitness? The answer is: Special equipment is required. Researchers have leveraged principles such as spring elasticity to develop exercise equipment, including resistance trainers for strengthening the shoulder and back muscles, space‑compatible bicycles for working the lower‑body muscles, and specialized space treadmills designed to improve cardiovascular fitness, among others. Astronauts are required to use these devices for 1–2 hours each day as part of their daily exercise regimen.
Now, let’s take a look at the creative space‑fitness routines experienced and demonstrated firsthand by China’s astronauts:
A new “space workout” demonstrated aboard Tiangong-2.
During the Shenzhou‑9 mission, astronaut Jing Haipeng performed a knee‑hugging rotational maneuver inside the Tiangong‑1 module.
Astronaut Liu Wang demonstrated “Chinese kung fu” inside Tiangong-1, which was also part of his in-orbit physical training.
During the Shenzhou-11 mission, astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong engaged in running exercises.
Astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong challenged themselves to play table tennis in space.
Congratulations on the successful launch of the Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft!
Source: CCTV News, Space Dream, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Source: Text content reprinted from Yan Zhao Sports.
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