DEC. 8, 2000 | An astronaut with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently visited the UAMS campus to thank participants in experiments here involving revolutionary exercise equipment that should allow astronauts to remain physically fitness during long space flights.

Visiting from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan, D.V.M., commended faculty and staff on the importance of their contributions to NASA, the health of astronauts, and the future exploration of the universe.

“If we can't figure out ways to keep our astronauts healthy, we may inhibit the course of future exploration of other planets” Linnehan said.

“A life's dream and important mission could be ruined if an astronaut were to land on another planet only to break a leg weakened by the microgravity conditions caused by the extended flight. What would we do then?” he asked.

Per Tesch, Ph.D., in the Nutrition, Metabolism, and Exercise Laboratory of the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics recently completed the 11-month study for NASA. Todd A. Trappe, Ph.D., and Jay Trieschmann, M.A., of the Department of Geriatrics were co-investigators, along with Anneli Ekberg, Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Links in this Article

NASA: www.nasa.gov

Johnson Space Center: www.jsc.nasa.gov

Department of Geriatrics: www.geriatrics.uams.edu/main/asp?flash=no

More about the Study: www.uams.edu/today/astronaut2.htm