RLF  Project

"RLF" (Russian Longterm Flight) was a joint endeavour of Austrian and Russian experts in the area of spaceflight medicine and physiology. RLF was organized by the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) Moscow, and–under the auspices of the Austrian Ministry for Sciences and Research–by the Austrian Society for Aerospace Medicine in Vienna. RLF built upon the successful AUSTROMIR mission in 1991, which sent an Austrian cosmonaut for 1 week aboard the MIR space station.

RLF investigated, from 1993 to 1997, cosmonaut's body functions before, during, and after sojourn in orbit of several months duration each - the longest being the legendary world record of 14 months:

Cosmonaut Dr. Valeri Vladimirovich Polyakov - born April 27, 1942, in Tula, Russia. Pilot-cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet Union. Now Deputy Director, IMBP. Academician, Vice-President of the Tsiolkovsky Cosmonautics Academy, Russia. Total time spent in space: 678.7 days. Longest space flight in history - flight time: 437.75 days. The 15th Main Expedition Crew, comprising V.M. Afanasev, Y.V. Usachev, and V.V. Polyakov, was launched with Soyuz TM-18 on January 8, 1994. The capsule docked at MIR's Kvant module on January 10. The Austro-Russian biomedical experiments formed an integral part of this mission:

• Bodyfluids / Interstitium  
• Cogimir
• Dosimir / Adlet
• Mikrovib
• Mirgen
• Monimir
• Motomir / Myo-Motoscan
• Optovert / vertikale Vektion
• Pulstrans / Schlaf

The experiments

  Bodyfluids / Interstitium

• Subject: Blood and extracellular volume regulation
• Main hardware: Proteinometer, LBNP-device ("Chibis"-suit)
• PI: Helmut G. Hinghofer-Szalkay, Victor B. Noskov, Richard Kvetnansky
• Institutions: Physiologisches Institut, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz; IBMP Moscow; Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava
• Major results: Volume regulation as judged by basal hormone concentrations (eg, aldosterone, PRA, vasopressin, catecholamines, ANP and cGMP) and LBNP-induced changes indicated no consistent alterations due to long-term sojourn onboard the Space Station, with the exception of very low ANP and cGMP levels during and shortly after the flight. It is concluded that human travel to Mars may be unimpeded in terms of hormonal volume regulation.

  Cogimir

• Subject: Alertness and mental performance
• Main hardware: DATAMIR computer
• PI: Thomas Benke, O. Koserenko
• Institution: Neurologische Universitaetsklinik Innsbruck; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: There was a transient decrease in alertness, executive and visuo-spatial functions which returned to preflight control levels after several weeks in orbit. Similarly, transient functional deficits occurred early postflight. This suggests a differential–type adaptation response (contrasting a rather PI-type as observed in Monimir). As a conclusion, higher brain functions might be compromised after long-term space missions, eg when landing on Mars, which would pose a potential operational problem.

  Dosimir / Adlet

• Subject: Minidosimetry
• Main hardware: Thermoluminescence crystals
• PI: Norbert Vana, J.A. Akatov
• Institution: Atominstitut der Oesterreichischen Universitaeten; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: The goal of this experiment was to develop and test an advanced use of thermoluminescent crystals for minidosimetry and assessment of quality factor at the same time. With this approach, the radiation profile onboard spacecraft can be determined as a function of location and vehicle orientation. It remains to be seen how much radiation jeopardizes health and fitness of humans travelling interplanetary space; no suited database yet exists to reliably assess long-term radiation risks involved.

  Microvib

• Subject: Muscle tone regulation, tremor
• Main hardware: KYMO biosignal monitor, sensor jacket, hand ergometer
• PI: Eugen Gallasch, Inessa B. Kozlovskaya
• Institution: Physiologisches Institut, Karl-Franzens-Universitaet Graz; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: Analysis of spontaneous tremor suggested that the musculoskeletal system is quite relaxed under microgravitational conditions; remaining oscillations are almost entirely caused by heartbeat. Induced tremor in the 7-13 Hz band is well recognizable, however. Neither central nor peripheral components of fatigue seem change with long-term flight. Alterations as observed in the lower legs are conceivably caused by muscular atrophy which is typical for extended stay in orbit.

  Mirgen

• Subject: Immune status monitoring
• No onboard hardware
• PI: Helga Tuschl, Y.I. Voronkov
• Institution: Forschungszentrum Seibersdorf; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: This experiment was designed to widen knowledge on spaceflight-related changes within the immune system. Provoked antibody production in vitro was decreased postflight, but generally the observed decrease of immunocompetence was rather mild. It remains unclear how the bodily defense systems will behave when humans leave low-earth orbit for extended time periods; more data need to be gathered in order to judge the risk of immunotoxicity with interplanetary travel.

  Monimir

• Subject: Sensorimotor coordination
• Main hardware: MONIMIR device
• PI: Meinhard Berger, Inessa B. Kozlovskaya
• Institution: Neurologische Universitaetsklinik Innsbruck; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: It was shown that, as compared to ground control conditions, visual information is given higher priority within motoric planning and spacial orientation in weightlessness – task-oriented motion continually worsened when optical input was lacking. Intentional movements were slowed down, which seems to indicate altered strategy in motion planning. The observed time course of changes suggests quick initial rearrangements followed by continuous slow further neuronal adaptation later inflight. Postflight, readaptation was fast and led to complete functional restitution.

  Motomir / Myo-Motoscan

• Subject: Muscle function testing
• Main hardware: MOTOMIR training and monitoring device
• PI: Norbert Bachl, Inessa B. Kozlovskaya
• Institution: Institut fuer Sportwissenschaften, Universitaet Wien; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: Maximum force output is quickly reduced in weightlessness. Extensors are more severely affected than flexors, which bears consequences for postural and locomotor competence after extended spaceflight. On the other hand, the observed decrease quickly levelled towards a new plateau which was considered subcritical – probably a consequence of sufficient muscular training the cosmonauts adhered to. The inflight dynamic interrelations of force, joint angle and motion velocity were not different from ground controls.

  Optovert / vertikale Vektion

• Subject: Oculomotor control
• Main hardware: Optokinetic stimulator
• PI: Christian Mueller, L. Kornilova
• Institution: Neurologische Universitaetsklinik Wien; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: Despite individually different responses within oculomotor-visual coordination, an average pattern could be observed: The gain within vestibular centers governing eye movements changed, orientation stability decreased, and spontaneous nystagmus transiently occurred. A dissociation of inherently coupled oculomotor and vestibular functioning was concluded which would allow for readjustments as needed in weightless conditions.

  Pulstrans / Schlaf

• Subject: Neurovegetative monitoring
• Main hardware: KYMO, sensor-jacket
• PI: Max Moser, R. Baevsky
• Institution: Physiologisches Institut, Karl-Franzens-Universitaet Graz; IBMP Moscow
• Major results: Cardiovascular monitoring during sleep, resting conditions, and exercise did not show indication of unusual stress, which however was largest during and after landing. These observations add to evidence of a critical postflight phase, potentially jeopardizing crew performance after arriving on Mars, or during emergency egress from a space vehicle on Earth.

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