Research in space physiology and medicine can be considered remarkable. The space environment is unique and complex, and human adaptation to this environment requires a perfect understanding of its effects on human physiology. Environmental conditions in space, such as microgravity, radiation, and confinement, have significant effects on the human body. Studying these effects not only provides valuable information on how the human body reacts to extreme conditions, but also contributes to the development of essential prophylactic strategies, called countermeasures, for preparing future long-duration manned space flights. Space physiology studies require complex equipment and technologies, often specific to flight missions, making them costly and difficult to implement. Additionally, these studies are limited by the number of astronauts, subject availability, and mission duration.
The history of human space exploration has been accompanied by the acquisition of unique data, often on small samples. Ground-based simulation experiments in humans using bed rest, confinement, dry immersion, parabolic flights, as well as animal and cellular models, allow for studies with larger experimental groups.
However, only data acquired directly from space flights fully take into account the unique and complex space environment.
The objective of this research topic, led by ISGP (
International Society for Gravitational Physiology) within our partnership with Frontiers, is to gather publications (shorter article types, such as brief research reports, as well as full-length original research and review papers) on studies conducted during space flights in humans, animals, and cellular cultures. We particularly encourage submission of manuscripts dedicated to the results obtained during spaceflights, or those that are secondarily derived from them, as well as outcomes based on any astronaut data and also experiments conducted during parabolic flights. However, we are ready to consider any space-related studies with low samples for this Research Topic. These are important data to value and communicate, despite small sample sizes not providing sufficient statistical power. Combining them will make these studies more relevant.
This will also provide an opportunity to reflect on these studies and determine the optimal strategy for valorizing and publishing the resulting data from protocols with small sample sizes.
The Topic Editors team for this Research Topic is comprised of all board members of the International Society of Gravitational Physiology