An Indian team comprising software developers from Srinagar, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Baroda, Chennai and a few other Indian locations has worked to create a database and a mobile application – Xpand – that tracks human health data of astronauts aboard SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, which returned to Earth two days ago. The astronauts performed the first spacewalk in any commercial space mission. The Enhancing Exploration Platform and Analog Definition (Xpand) application has been designed by developers of TrialX, a clinical research and space health company headquartered in New York.
Anjali Marar spoke to Sharib Khan, CEO and Founder of TrialX. Khan is an alumnus of the University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi. Excerpts from the email interview:
Q: What kind of health data has been recorded from astronauts on missions in which TrialX has been involved?
Sharib Khan: The health data being collected is intended to understand the impact of space travel on human health and performance. TrialX was selected by the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) at Baylor College of Medicine, which is supporting this research and database as part of its EXPAND initiative.
In the first commercial space mission launched in September 2021, studies were conducted to assess motion sickness in space, measure cognitive performance along with changes in sleep patterns, perform hand-held ultrasound imaging of the heart, bladder and jugular vein as well as measure heart rate using wearable devices. Genomic samples were also collected during pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight modes.
In addition, data on the space environment such as the space capsule's partial oxygen pressure, altitude, temperature and others were also recorded and stored in our database. In addition, the total radiation exposure in space was measured.
Since the first mission three years ago, we have supported five such space missions. The soon-to-be-launched Polaris Dawn will carry more than two dozen studies that will collect a variety of data sets.
Question: How is astronauts' health data recorded?
Khan: The health data that is collected is primarily related to research studies. Depending on the kind of health data that needs to be collected, data is collected using surveys conducted on a mobile app, wearable device or a handheld ultrasound probe. Samples such as blood, urine and stool can also be collected.
Q: What has been TrialX’s major contribution to Polaris Dawn?
Khan: On the Polaris Dawn mission, the crew will use a number of innovative wearables and devices, such as smartwatches, novel single-electrode sensors to measure heart and breathing rates, smart contact lenses with tiny micro-sensors that will measure pressure inside astronauts' eyes, innovative 3D ultrasound devices to create three-dimensional images of the eye's structure, CPR training tools, fiber-optic cameras, and a miniature intelligent ultrasound device to take medical-grade images, among others.
In partnership with TRISH, our team has been instrumental in developing the EXPAND app. It will ensure seamless pre-flight, during-flight, and post-flight health research data collection for this mission. As part of the mission, the four-member crew will conduct a variety of experiments to collect data on various aspects of human health in space. These studies will investigate environmental factors, health and hygiene, personality development, vital signs, cognitive function, vision, motion sickness, Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), space radiation, and more.
All health data, as well as about 30 surveys, will be embedded in the application. This comprehensive approach is designed to provide valuable information about how the unique conditions of space affect human health at both the physiological and molecular levels.
4) Can you elaborate on the TrialX data collection platform? Why is it unique?
The EXPAND database is one of a kind. It has the capability to seamlessly ingest multiple types of data from different flight providers to create a repository that can integrate information and make it readily available to researchers. It can ingest a variety of data, including electronic health record summaries, wearable data, diagnostic images, bio-sample analysis results, qualitative survey data, and space capsule telemetry data.