The Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory conducts World-class research investigating the effects of the space environment on the human body, novel exercised-base countermeasures to mitigate against these physiological adaptations, and post-flight reconditioning to help those who have been to space return to a healthy physiological state. Through close collaboration with the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Medicine Team, and funded by the UK Space Agency, the Laboratory team has taken part in a number of prestigious ESA/NASA spaceflight simulating research campaigns, including long duration bedrest and parabolic flight.
The Laboratory also houses the Variable Gravity Suspension System (VGSS) – a bespoke designed and built system enabling the simulation of micro-/hypo-gravity. The system, which is unique across the UK, uses whole body suspension to create simulated space environments to investigate the acute physiological adaptations in the human body in microgravity, such as on board the International Space Station, and in reduced (hypo) gravity, such as on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars.
The work in this research group contributes to the university wide Space research peak of excellence.
Academic Team
PGRs / Thesis Title / Submission Year
- Ishbel Lomax / To the Moon and Back: Efficacy and Feasibility of Countermeasures to Mitigate Musculoskeletal Deconditioning During Transit to, and Exploration of, the Lunar Surface / 2026
- Patrick Swain / Musculoskeletal Deconditioning in Hypogravity and a Novel Suspension System for Simulating Microgravity and Hypogravity / 2024
