711 HPW centrifuge simulates spaceflight for astronauts

  • Published
  • By Whitney Wetsig
  • 711th Human Performance Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) --  

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s 711th Human Performance Wing (711 HPW) hosted five astronauts from NASA, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) for centrifuge training at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The centrifuge, owned and operated by 711 HPW, simulates gravitational forces, known as g-forces, and helps prepare astronauts and pilots for future missions.

"We are proud to partner with domestic and international space agencies in supporting their critical space exploration missions,” said Brig. Gen. Robert K. Bogart, 711 HPW commander. “Our centrifuge provides a unique and valuable training environment, leveraging our expertise in human performance to ensure the safety and readiness of astronauts facing the extreme forces of spaceflight. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to advancing human potential in challenging environments, whether in the air or in space."

The centrifuge simulates up to 9 g's, or nine times the normal force of gravity, to teach the effects of g-forces on human physiology. It also helps pilots and astronauts practice their ability to counteract these effects and prevent g-induced loss of consciousness.

“For astronauts, the g-forces are felt mostly in the chest in the x-axis,” said Jason Eckerle, acting section chief, aerospace physiology section, AFRL’s Human Effectiveness Directorate. “They have to still be able to reach forward and accomplish certain tasks on their control panels.

While this marked the first time a CSA astronaut trained in the centrifuge, 711 HPW personnel have worked with NASA and ESA since 2018, preparing centrifuge training profiles for dozens of astronauts. These profiles allow astronauts to experience launch, return-to-Earth and emergency recovery procedures before they leave the ground.

“We’ve tried to make it as realistic as possible, taking the actual sensor data from the capsule in some of the early missions,” said Nathan Dillon, senior aerospace engineer, AFRL’s Human Effectiveness Directorate. “We take the different forces that they are experiencing, and we create this simulated profile that mimics as close as we can in our centrifuge what they are going to experience.”

Simulating intense conditions on Earth is critical for preparing astronauts for the realities of space travel, particularly the extreme physiological challenges they will face.

“The g-forces that our astronauts will experience during liftoff and re-entry have a real impact on their entire body,” said Sergi Vaquer Araujo, space medicine team leader at ESA. “It is extremely important for us to ensure their ability to sustain these forces by getting used to it to limit the risks of dizziness or even loss of consciousness.”

Astronauts who have trained in the 711 HPW centrifuge, which is the Department of Defense’s only human-rated centrifuge, report that it accurately replicates the launch experience, aiding in their mission preparation.

“We've gotten feedback from previous astronauts who have actually launched that the centrifuge is a fairly realistic experience and helped them prepare for their actual mission,” Dillon said.

The five astronauts who recently completed centrifuge training and are slated for future missions are: Jack Hathaway (NASA), Jessica Meir (NASA), Raphaël Liégeois (ESA), Joshua Kutryk (CSA), and Sophie Adenot (ESA). ESA astronauts Adenot and Liégois are slated for their first spaceflights to the International Space Station in 2026.

"Thanks to this training, these astronauts are better prepared to face the challenges of space, and we are proud to play a role in their journey," Bogart said.

While the 711 HPW owns and operates the centrifuge, Air Education Training Command’s 342nd Training Squadron (AETC/342 TRS) and AFRL’s Human Effectiveness Directorate’s Aerospace Physiology Research section jointly operate it. About 1,100 students – fighter pilots, astronauts, aircrew members, flight surgeons, aerospace physiologists and others – train in the centrifuge each year.

AFRL’s Human Effectiveness Directorate is part of the 711th Human Performance Wing, a unique combination of two mission units. While the Human Effectiveness Directorate is science- and technology-focused, the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine is a center for aerospace medical learning, consultation, medical investigations and aircrew health assessments. This synergy of research and development with aerospace medical expertise helps ensure Airmen and Guardians are available, ready and performing at their peak.

About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL leads the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace forces. With a workforce spanning across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit www.afresearchlab.com.