ESA’s research isn’t just about keeping astronauts safe. Studying the effects of spaceflight on the human body also offers unique insights into medical conditions on Earth, such as osteoporosis, muscle atrophy and cardiovascular disease. The knowledge gained in orbit has the potential to benefit everyone from ageing populations to patients recovering from injury or illness.

Central to this research is ESA’s SciSpacE programme, which brings together scientists from across Europe to explore how space stressors, like weightlessness, isolation and radiation, affect the human body. These investigations take place both on the International Space Station and in ground-based analogue studies, such as long-duration bedrest campaigns that mimic spaceflight conditions.