Vestibular training

As it is known, during the first days of a space flight many astronauts feel some difficulties with adaptation to microgravity. Some astronauts even can have motion sickness.

Therefore, scientists of GCTC have developed special vestibular training programs for astronauts in order to get used to such irregular conditions. A spinning chair, tilt tables, simulation (optokinetic) drum are used for astronaut’s vestibular training.

The primary task of such training is to minimize the negative effects of the weightlessness influence during the adaptation period. Each astronaut passes through the initial medical examination and after this an individual schedule is made for them in order to enforce the organism, and the time of training increases step by step. Astronauts have to do this training during all the period of staying in GCTC and preparation of the space flight (to keep vestibular apparatus in tone). But just before the space flight these exercises become even more intensive.

The effectiveness of the astronaut’s protection from motion sickness for people inclined to it but trained in GCTC using vestibular simulators and existing methods is 60%.

Now you also have an opportunity to try and to train your vestibular system on our training facilities, specially made for astronauts, under control of professional instructors and specialists in GCTC, who can tell you many fascinating facts about space flights from the medical point of view.