As humans prepare for longer missions in space, one critical question remains: how does the body respond when it is pushed beyond its familiar limits? Researchers from the College of Education and Human Development and College of Nursing at Texas A&M University are addressing that question through a new project that could help improve the health and safety of humans in space and here on Earth.

The study is happening at the new Tactical Performance and Thermoregulation Laboratory at Texas A&M, led by Dr. Steven Riechman of the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management. He and Dr. Adrien Robin of the College of Nursing are investigating how the body manages heat and blood flow when gravity is altered, as it would during spaceflight.

“Human physiology does not operate in isolation,” Riechman said. “When we are exposed to heat, the cardiovascular system is immediately involved. Blood flow shifts to help dissipate heat, which increases strain on the heart. You can’t study these systems separately.”

Spaceflight Simulation

To study altered gravity, Riechman and Robin are using a Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) device in combination with positive pressure (LBPP) that is commonly used in aerospace research. The device redistributes blood within the body to reproduce some of the conditions astronauts experience in microgravity, when blood moves toward the upper body, as well as during re-entry, when gravity rapidly returns and the cardiovascular system is challenged. “This allows us to study how the cardiovascular system responds to a blood volume shift in a very precise and controlled way,” Robin said.

What makes this study rare is where the simulations take place. Participants enter the LBNP while inside a highly controlled environmental chamber that can recreate extreme heat, cold and humidity.

“This is one of the very few places where we can combine altered‑gravity simulations with tightly controlled temperature and humidity,” Robin said. “That level of precision makes the research far more reproducible and informative.”

Dr. Adrien Robin led the College of Nursing’s role in this collaboration.

A Lab Designed for Collaboration

The environmental chamber is a key component of the Tactical Performance and Thermoregulation Laboratory, which was intentionally designed as a shared experimental platform, rather than a single‑purpose facility.

“In the field, you can’t control the environment,” Riechman said. “Temperature and humidity fluctuate constantly. Here, we can create repeatable conditions and directly measure how the body responds.”

The lab also supports synchronized physiological monitoring, including core body temperature, cardiovascular activity, muscle activation and metabolic markers. This flexibility allows researchers from different disciplines to bring their own tools, sensors, and expertise into a single experimental space. That design made this collaboration a natural fit.

“The College of Nursing has been expanding its focus on aerospace and extreme‑environment healthcare,” Robin said. “This lab offers a unique opportunity to study how the body responds in extreme conditions to mitigate health risk in astronauts—and clinical population.”

The Future of Space Health

With NASA’s Artemis missions signaling a return to the Moon and commercial spaceflight involving more civilians, understanding the human body’s response to extreme environments has become more critical.

“We’re going to see more people in space who aren’t career astronauts and may have pre-existing conditions,” Robin said. “That means we need more research focused on keeping people healthy in these environments.”

The study’s implications extend to nursing as well, particularly in austere or resource‑limited environments where adaptability and precision medicine are critical.

Benefits Beyond Spaceflight

Although astronauts are a primary focus, this research could also impact applications on Earth. Many professions, including first responders and industrial workers, experience sustained physical exertion in extreme heat.

“Tactical doesn’t just mean military,” Riechman said. “It refers to anyone working in environments where heat, physical demand and safety intersect.”

By better understanding how the cardiovascular and thermal systems respond together, researchers can inform training strategies and safety guidelines designed to reduce risk and improve resilience.

What Comes Next

Dr. Steven Riechman (upper left) heads the Tactical Performance and Thermoregulation Laboratory.

For Riechman, the study also points toward a longer‑term vision: contributing to the development of human digital twins, which are data‑driven models that can predict how individuals respond under physiological stress. NASA pioneered the digital twin concept for spacecraft, and researchers are now beginning to apply it to humans.

“Our broader goal is developing a thermal digital twin that can integrate into a comprehensive human model,” Riechman said. “That has implications not only for space exploration but also for healthcare, workplace safety, and human performance on Earth.”

The Tactical Performance and Thermoregulation Laboratory is affiliated with the Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance. To learn more, visit the lab’s official website.

For media inquiries, contact Ruben Hidalgo.