Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #30943: Why Astronauts Sometimes Can’t Stand After Landing—and How Science is Helping

After returning from space, some astronauts experience ‘orthostatic intolerance’—a condition where they feel dizzy or even faint when standing up. Why does this happen? The experiment titled Physiological Parameters that Predict Orthostatic Intolerance After Spaceflight, led by Dr. John Karemaker of the University of Amsterdam, aims to find out.

In microgravity, the body doesn’t have to fight gravity to pump blood upwards, so it adapts in ways that make it less effective when back on Earth. This study monitored astronauts’ cardiovascular systems before and after flight to identify signs that might predict who’s at risk.

Understanding these signs could help design better fitness routines, suits, or medications to prepare astronauts for re-entry. For students interested in physiology, space medicine, or human performance, this research shows how space affects the body—and how we can mitigate those effects.

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