How do space missions impact astronauts’ health? AIIMS, ISRO collaborate to develop training modules

Dr KK Deepak, former physiology department head who will be working on the simulations in collaboration with ISRO, along with other doctors of AIIMS, said that the MoU had been signed in the context of India’s long-term vision to send humans into space and eventually establish its own space station, the Bharat Antariksh Station, similar to the International Space Station. “Simulation technologies are already being used to mimic microgravity conditions on Earth. Such simulations allow researchers to study how the human body reacts to space-like environments without actually going to space,” he added. Facilities at AIIMS and institutions like IIT Delhi are already involved in such work, and there is also an opportunity for Indian scientists to develop new simulation methods and technologies.

Human spaceflight requires extensive preparation, particularly in understanding how the human body behaves in space. “Astronauts experience several physiological and medical changes in microgravity, and it is essential to study both the short-term and long-term effects. India currently lacks its own comprehensive physiological data related to spaceflight, which makes research in this area extremely important,” Dr Deepak added.

To address this gap, ISRO and AIIMS have decided to collaborate in a structured manner.

The AIIMS Department of Physiology has already been working in the field of space physiology for more than a decade, starting around 2013. Researchers have been studying existing global literature and identifying research areas relevant to space applications. “With the new MoU in place, the collaboration with ISRO will become more structured and mission-oriented. ISRO will be able to specify the type of physiological data or research it requires for astronaut missions, and AIIMS researchers can then work toward producing that data,” Dr Deepak said.

While engineering and technological aspects of space missions are handled by ISRO, AIIMS will contribute medical and physiological expertise. “By combining these strengths, the two institutions aim to conduct research that will produce reliable Indian data on how astronauts’ bodies respond to space conditions,” he said.

An important area of study, according to Dr Deepak, is space emergency medicine. His team has previously published a position paper on how medical emergencies might be managed in space. “Since astronauts operate in small teams and remain isolated during missions, they must be trained to deal with medical situations independently while also having access to expert consultation from Earth. Developing such protocols requires infrastructure, data collection, and specialized training,” he said.

The MoU will likely lead to more intensive research collaboration, with scientists visiting each other’s facilities and studying different aspects of human spaceflight. This includes understanding spacecraft environment, seating arrangements, and the day-to-day routine astronauts follow during missions.

Dr Deepak also explained that research related to human spaceflight must begin many years before an actual mission takes place. “Data collection and scientific understanding cannot start after astronauts are sent to space. Instead, groundwork must be laid well in advance—sometimes a decade earlier—to build a strong scientific base,” he said.