{"id":117944,"date":"2021-02-25T09:15:43","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T14:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=117944"},"modified":"2025-10-28T15:49:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T19:49:13","slug":"ucf-researcher-aims-to-preserve-astronauts-muscle-function-in-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-researcher-aims-to-preserve-astronauts-muscle-function-in-space\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Researcher Aims to Preserve Astronauts\u2019 Muscle Function in Space"},"content":{"rendered":"

Twenty years ago, landing people on Mars seemed like sci-fi, but with commercial spacecraft launching into space almost every month and NASA\u2019s Mars Perseverance landing on the Red Planet last week, sending astronauts to Mars and beyond is actualizing into reality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the idea of astronauts actually getting to Mars became realistic, there was a regained impetus on the health aspects of spaceflight,\u201d says Ethan Hill<\/a>, a UCF assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hill is exploring how to keep astronauts healthy while in space by developing exercise countermeasures that may be used to maintain muscle strength and mass during long-duration spaceflight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout the stimulus of Earth\u2019s gravity, the body [muscles] can deteriorate quite rapidly,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

With approximately one-third the gravity of Earth, going to Mars puts people at risk for loss of muscle mass, strength and endurance. Usually, these issues can be mitigated with onboard exercise programs and rehab upon the astronaut\u2019s return to Earth. But the extended duration that will be required for travel to Mars and beyond raises concerns about long-term health impacts and the efficacy of current exercise-based approaches.<\/p>\n

Through his secondary joint appointment with the Florida Space Institute, Hill applies his expertise to facilitate NASA\u2019s mission and vision by providing a better understanding of muscle function.<\/p>\n

His research investigates neuromuscular adaptations (changes in ways we activate muscle fibers) and morphological changes to the muscle (the muscle size or quality) to explain why we get stronger or weaker under various conditions. He examines different exercise interventions in his lab, such as eccentric contraction-based resistance training, low-load resistance training, and blood-flow restriction. The goal is to design exercises that mitigate muscle loss and enhance health.<\/p>\n

Hill first started applying his research to the health of astronauts while pursuing his doctorate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he was awarded two seed grants <\/a>from NASA to start his work. When he came to UCF in 2019, he connected with researchers at the space institute.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I got connected to Dr. Esther Beltran at the Florida Space Institute, her medical background and extensive NASA-related work helped me to bridge the gap between what I was doing and how it can actually relate to astronaut health,\u201d Hill says. \u201cShe taught me early on where my research fits into space exploration and different ways that we can apply it.\u201d<\/p>\n