The objectives
of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory (EXL) are three-fold:
1) to support astronaut medical assessment testing requirements,
2) to evaluate and validate exercise countermeasures hardware,
protocols, and conditioning programs for the maintenance
of  crew
health and performance during Space Shuttle and International
Space Station missions. and 3) to better understand the
effects of microgravity on human physiology and performance
both during and after spaceflight.
Image right: Exercise Physiology
lab members collect data on the C-9.
Areas of research include: effects of microgravity
on blood volume and aerobic capacity, musculoskeletal
adaptations to resistance training using novel hardware,
orthostatic intolerance, biomechanics of exercise in
zero-gravity, near infrared spectroscopy, and metabolic
cost of locomotion with different spacesuit pressures
and gravitational loads. Laboratory personnel also monitor
inflight exercise responses to evaluate and validate
exercise countermeasure concepts.
Basic research investigations are conducted through
NASA Research Announcements, the National Space Biomedical
Research Institute, and the Exercise Countermeasures
Project peer-review process.
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