IMAGINE being stuck in a highly sophisticated, ‘sterile and cold’ tin can in Earth’s orbit, 248 miles above home.
That’s the reality of the astronauts that embark on missions to the International Space Station (ISS), often for at least six months at a time.
Living in such an artificial environment can weigh on the psyche, which is why astronauts are specifically picked to be without any mental health issues.
But anyone working in such a confined space, so far from home, is likely to encounter some.
Fortunately, astronaut Andreas Mogensen, of the European Space Agency (ESA), had been tasked with testing a new gadget to combat this.
I can hear the rustle through the leaves, I can hear the birds singing, I can almost feel the warmth of the sun.
Andreas Mogensen, European Space Agency
Mogensen, part of Crew-7 who just returned to Earth, had the job of conducting two experiments with a virtual reality (VR) headset while on his six month mission to the ISS.
Experiment One
First, the Danish astronaut tested how VR can aid astronauts mental health while they live in space for long periods of time.
“We astronauts onboard the space station are living in a very confined, artificial, laboratory-like environment, it’s very sterile, it’s very cold and we don’t have access to nature and that affects our psychological wellbeing,” explained Mogensen.
“Personally, I really miss stepping outside, to feel the breeze… and even though the virtual reality headset doesn’t let me do that I still get a feeling of being in nature when I wear it.”
The headset comes pre-loaded with at least four natural scenes, including a sunset, the beach, mountain path and a river.
“When I put on the virtual reality headset, I can hear the rustle through the leaves, I can hear the birds singing, I can almost feel the warmth of the sun,” Mogensen describes.
“I have to be honest, I didn’t expect it to actually make much of a difference, but I’ve found that I love wearing this headset.”
The headset was built by XRHealth, a Spatial computing healthcare company, in collaboration with Nord-Space Aps and HTC VIVE to be compatible in microgravity.
The nifty gadget flew to the ISS along with Crew-7 back in November, and has been going through testing during the six-month mission.
“It makes feel like I am outside of the space station, that I am away from this artificial environment and it really de-stressed me, it makes me relaxed, it takes away a lot of the daily stress and just allows me to re-energise… and catch my breath and feel like I’m back on the Earth,” Mogensen added.
“For long duration missions, it makes a huge difference.”
Experiment Two
The second experiment Mogensen conducted was to combine the headset with the stationary bicycle aboard the ISS, known as CEVIS.
ISS astronauts spend an average of two hours a day exercising, to limit the harmful effects space has on the human body.
When the headset is combined with the static bike, astronauts are able to cycle one of five different routes in Denmark, such as the woods, the beach, the countryside, in Copenhagen and the country’s third largest city, Odense.
Routes inside the headset are integrated into the bike, so when astronauts are going uphill in VR, they have to press harder on the bike, for added realism.
“It’s so motivating,” Mogensen says, adding that “at the same time I feel like I’m out in nature enjoying a nice bike route through the woods, or along the beach.”
Mogensen said during the experiments, the headset had become “one of my favourite things” to do aboard the ISS.
It is the first time a virtual reality headset has been sent to space and tested for its effectiveness at treating the mental health strains put on astronauts.
Per Lundahl Thomsen, chief technology officer at Nord-Space Aps, said creating a virtual platform will help astronauts combat the negative feelings that arise from being so far away from friends and family.
This can be particularly hard for those who miss anniversaries, life milestones and holidays.
With more support in space, Thomsen believes astronauts will be able to better maintain a healthy lifestyle when they eventually return home.
Find out more about science
Want to know more about the weird and wonderful world of science? From the Moon to the human body, we have you covered…
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
