Prof. Dr. K. Ganapathy M Ch (Neurosurgery) FACS FICS FAMS Ph.DDirector, Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation; Director, Apollo Tele Health Services; Past President, Telemedicine Society of India; Past President, Indian Society for Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery; Former Secretary and Past President Neurological Society of India; Emeritus Professor Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University; Formerly Adjunct Professor IIT Madras & Anna University Madras www.kganapathy.com This story was written by Prof. Ganapathy when a student (Std. IX – B) in 1964 in India  A 13-year-old Ganapathy  It was on the 2nd of January 2064 A.D. that my father, an official of the Interplanetary Police Service got his transfer orders posting him from the Moon to Earth. I was not quite pleased about this for having been born and bred on the Moon, I did not want to go to an inferior planet. And then, I had to continue my education on Earth of all the places. As we had been asked to proceed to Earth at once, we went in our private rocket. We reached Earth in about an hour. I was then reminded that about one hundred years ago, the Americans had landed their first rocket on the Moon, and the journey then had taken three and a half days. What a colossal waste of time in those days! My father’s headquarters on Earth was at a place called Mathiras. Our first problem in Mathiras was to get me a seat in one of the interplanetary schools. We found that Santa Badena which a hundred years ago was known as St. Bede’s, was one of the best schools. My father therefore conveyed a telepathic message to the Head of the institution. He replied that getting admission into St. Badena was one of the most difficult jobs, and this had been so for over a hundred years.  It was at that time, i.e. 100 years ago, he went on to say, that the then St. Bede’s had hit the headlines when in the glorious period of two short months they had won the inter-school Hockey Cups, the Senior Championship Cup for Athletics, lost the Junior Cricket Championship, and broken four long-standing records in Athletics. I at once made up my mind to get admission to St. Badena, for there was no other school in Mathiras with a honorary tradition like hers. I was asked to sit for an entrance examination test along with other applicants from Venus, Mars and Jupiter. The next day I landed at the school cosmodrome in my own rocket. I felt a bit strange in this place, for the Earth you know is not as modernised as the Moon. I was then conducted by an unsmiling robot towards a glass dome, which had many gadgets. Later, when I became a pupil of St. Badena, I discovered to my surprise while pursuing some old records and photographs, that robot bore a very striking resemblance to one of the school peons, who way back in 1964 had ushered all new-comers to the Principal’s office.  Very soon, the entrance examination was under way. An unseen hand pushed a button. My body began to quiver and a telepathic question was asked. I replied that A2 – B 2 = (A+B) (A–B). Another button was pushed and I found myself getting the same sensation that I felt some few seconds ago. I said that now the sea was 3 miles away, but a hundred years ago, it was 300 yards away. The unseen hand pushed a third button and some pieces of metal fell down. A bizarre voice said that this was the final question. I had to make a replica of a robot. I found myself dripping with perspiration as I underwent this practical test. But my efforts were successful. A few more buttons were pressed, and then I heard a whirring sound. It was the electronic computer at work assessing my work. A few seconds later an announcement came over the TV saying that I had passed the test. My father congratulated me on being one of the two successful candidates from the Moon. From that day onwards I used to go to school daily in my own rocket, which travelled at a safe speed of only 10,000 miles per hour…. my father’s was a much more powerful one, and he said that it would not be safe for me to travel in his much faster rocket. At St. Badena, we were taught by machines and the pictures appeared on the TV. During the intervals, my friends and I (some were Martians and some were Venusians) used to go to the school museum. There we saw photographs and other relics over a hundred years old. We were quite amused at the appearance and the dresses of the teachers and the pupils of those years. An old school magazine called “The Bedean” attracted my attention. It was dated November 1964. How funny the photographs and articles in the mag appeared. The fellows that must have been living in the pre-historic age, I thought. Suddenly, I woke up and faced the cold reality that after all I was still only in 1964. And there is but little hope that I will live to see this dream realised. Notes from the Author - Oct 21st, 2020  Prof. Dr. K Ganapathy It all started with my searching for my school magazine to show my brother-in-law’s 13-year-old grandson articles I had written 60 years ago to encourage him. Among the articles was one I had written in 1964 about a visit to the Earth from the Moon. Reading the last sentence, “there is little hope that I will live to see this dream realised”, I am now optimistic that in my lifetime I will see the commencement of colonisation on the Moon (considering that my grandparents (all four) lived to their mid-eighties, when the average life expectancy was 52 and my parents to their eighties and nineties when the life expectancy was 58, I have good telomeres in my genes! ). In the sixties in India all bright students were expected to become doctors or engineers. When I was in XIth grade my elder brother passed away in a road traffic accident and at that minute I decided to become a doctor. When I was in the 4th year in the medical college, my eldest brother also met with a fatal accident. This resulted in my becoming a Neurosurgeon. It appears that my fascination for the Moon has been lying dormant. I would show my first grandchild the Moon from the terrace of our house and I literally brainwashed him, repeating ad nauseum, that he should plan to visit the Moon. He is in the XIth grade now and is planning to study transportation and design engineering along with astrophysics to design transportation on the Moon!!  When NASA and Nokia announced plans to set up mobile towers on the lunar surface to facilitate communication within the Moon and to Earth, I was reminded of my first encounter with the telephone. It was 1958. My father was a senior Government of India officer working in Vijaywada a Tier I small city in South India. We were one of the “privileged elite” to have a telephone at home. The waiting time to get a telephone connection then was 2 years. On lifting the receiver, the operator would ask for the number (a 4-digit number). Trunk calls to other cities had to be booked and would materialise in about 8-10 hours. My father was empowered to book “lightning” calls to Delhi, which would materialise within 30 minutes. Very few could do this. My father had to talk so loudly I would wonder why an instrument was required! And 50% discount was given after 8pm.
Today my youngest grandchild gets annoyed when his video call drops for 1-2 seconds once in a month!!! I deem it a privilege to belong to the “Baby Boomer” generation to have lived in the second half of the 20th century and in the first three decades of the 21st century to see humankind evolve. Belonging to the BC (Before Computers not before Corona!) Era, I firmly believe that technology is a means to an end and not the end by itself. Yes, it is wonderful to learn from my grandchildren the intricacies of the iPhone 12, but believe me, the millennials and Gen Z have no idea of what they have missed. Thanks to my meeting Prof Thais Russomano in Rio several years ago my interest in Space has been rekindled. The article I wrote 56 years ago shows that the interest has always been lying dormant!! Thank you InnovaSpace for resurrecting this contribution made in 1964. Mary UpritchardInnovaSpace Co-Founder & Admin Director
Authors: Prof Samira Bulcão Carvalho Domingues*, Prof Flávia Porto** and Prof Jonas Lírio Gurgel****Master's Degree student, Exercise and Sports Sciences/Institute of Physical Education & Sports/UERJ
 Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay When faced with the COVID-19 global pandemic, a reduction in the numbers of people circulating is essential. It’s important to know there are differences between social distancing, isolation, quarantine and total lockdown, however, all of these strategies have one goal in common, which is to contain the speed at which the virus spreads and limit the collapse of health systems. In extended social distancing, those establishments considered to be non-essential are closed to avoid the gathering together of people, while in selective social distancing, people belonging to at-risk groups, especially the elderly, are encouraged to stay at home. In isolation, sick people (with suspected or confirmed disease) are separated from the non-sick, whether in a domestic or hospital environment. Quarantine is carried out by those people who have come into contact with or are suspected of having come into contact with the virus and, even if not presenting symptoms, they are isolated from others. When none of these measures work, a total lockdown is declared, like a community quarantine. Although essential, staying at home involves a radical change in the habits of a population, which may harm health in some way. Within the context of epidemiological normality, work, academic and leisure activities require a variety of effort that, taken together, maintain the minimum level of daily physical activity necessary for health, especially for sedentary individuals. An immediate interruption of these activities has a negative impact on the cardiorespiratory and muscle systems, responsible for maintaining functional capacity. This, in turn, is directly related to quality of life and the development of comorbidities. Similarly, and at the same time, physically active individuals are compelled to abruptly interrupt their exercise routines during this period. The damage caused by this halt in training includes losses in muscle strength and mass, aerobic capacity, and joint flexibility and mobility, in addition to alterations in body composition. The change from a physically active to sedentary life can affect important variables for health maintenance, including blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels. It is therefore advisable to use countermeasure strategies to combat the disuse. One of these is the practice of exercise - known to be the best non-drug health promotion strategy. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has already taken a position on the importance of staying physically active during isolation. The weekly recommendation for asymptomatic individuals is 150 to 300 minutes of aerobic exercise, plus two strength training sessions. One could, for example, do 5 workouts a week of 30 to 60 minutes, adding muscle strengthening exercises to two of them. The intensity should be moderate, as very light stimuli may not promote benefits, while very high intensities are associated with impaired immunity.
Although many people doubt the feasibility and efficiency of home training, the literature shows that results similar to those obtained in traditional gyms can be achieved by using one's own bodyweight as a load. Routines can include exercises based on calisthenics, both in aerobic (stationary running, climbing stairs, jumping jacks) and strength (squats, push-ups, planks) training. Accessible materials can help: elastic bands, skipping ropes, and even household items to increase the workload (water bottles, backpacks with books, bags with groceries). Authors: Prof Samira Bulcão Carvalho Domingues*, Prof Flávia Porto** and Prof Jonas Lírio Gurgel****Master's Degree student, Exercise and Sports Sciences/Institute of Physical Education & Sports/UERJ
 Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay Diante da pandemia mundial de COVID-19, diminuir a circulação das pessoas é algo essencial. É importante saber que existe diferença entre distanciamento, isolamento social, quarentena e bloqueio total, porém, todas essas estratégias têm o objetivo comum de conter a velocidade de propagação do vírus e evitar o colapso dos sistemas de saúde. No distanciamento social ampliado, estabelecimentos considerados não essenciais são fechados para evitar aglomerações, enquanto que, no distanciamento social seletivo, pessoas pertencentes a grupos de risco, em especial, idosos, são estimuladas a ficar em casa. Já no isolamento, pessoas doentes (com suspeita ou confirmação da doença) são separadas das não doentes, seja em ambiente doméstico ou hospitalar. A quarentena é realizada por pessoas que tiveram contato ou suspeito de contato com o vírus e, mesmo não apresentando sintomas, ficam isoladas das demais. Quando nenhuma dessas medidas funciona, finalmente, é decretado o bloqueio total, como uma quarentena comunitária.
Apesar de imprescindível, a permanência em casa implica em uma mudança radical nos hábitos da população, o que pode prejudicar, de alguma forma, a saúde. Em um contexto de normalidade epidemiológica, atividades laborais, acadêmicas e de lazer solicitam esforços variados que, somados, mantêm o nível mínimo de atividade física diária necessário para a saúde, especialmente de indivíduos sedentários. A interrupção imediata dessas atividades impacta negativamente os sistemas cardiorrespiratório e muscular, responsáveis pela manutenção da capacidade funcional. Esta, por sua vez, está diretamente relacionada à qualidade de vida e ao desenvolvimento de comorbidades. Da mesma maneira, no momento, indivíduos fisicamente ativos precisaram interromper bruscamente suas rotinas de exercícios neste período. Os prejuízos do destreinamento incluem perdas sobre força e massa musculares, capacidade aeróbia, flexibilidade e mobilidade articular, além de alterações na composição corporal. A mudança de uma vida fisicamente ativa para o sedentarismo pode impactar variáveis importantes para a manutenção da saúde, entre elas, pressão arterial, glicose sanguínea e taxas de colesterol. Assim, é oportuno lançar mão de estratégias de contramedida ao desuso. Uma delas é a prática de exercícios - sabidamente a melhor estratégia não-medicamentosa de promoção da saúde. O Colégio Americano de Medicina Esportiva (ACSM) já se posicionou quanto à importância de se manter fisicamente ativo durante o isolamento. A recomendação semanal, para indivíduos assintomáticos, é de 150 a 300 minutos de exercícios aeróbios, além de duas sessões de treinamento de força. Pode-se, por exemplo, realizar 5 treinos semanais de 30 a 60 minutos e, em dois deles, acrescentar exercícios de fortalecimento muscular. A intensidade deve ser moderada, pois estímulos muito leves podem não promover benefícios, e intensidades muito altas estão associadas a prejuízos à imunidade. Authors: Prof Flávia Porto*, Prof Nádia Souza Lima da Silva* and Prof Jonas Lírio Gurgel***Institute of Physical Education and Sports, State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ)
 There are few known coping strategies for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), but social isolation stands out. While this provides an effective way to reduce the spread of the virus, it also brings a range of problems for individuals and families, especially the elderly, such as limiting their in-person participation in health promotion programs. In a society highly connected through the Internet, a large number of seniors form part of the group that is digitally excluded, showing greater resistance to the use of digital technology tools. The current situation has imposed changes in our behaviour, serving as a catalyst for alterations in everyone's habits and leading to increased use of digital tools in order to mitigate social distancing. In this context, it is essential for health maintenance that physical exercise programs are continued during social isolation, particularly so for the elderly population, and should be part of public policy. Given this scenario, telehealth resurfaces as an instrument for health promotion and prevention, which are even more essential in the current situation. The strategy of using digital tools, like videos and web conferencing, enables continuity in physical exercise health promotion programs, which are essential to overcome the disuse imposed by confinement. In this sense, we would like to share our experience of using telehealth for the continuity of the program Elderly in Movement: Maintaining Autonomy (IMMA). How did IMMA come about? On October 17, 1989, Professor Dr. Alfredo Gomes Faria Júnior (22/08/1937 - 11/06/2019), Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Porto, created the IMMA Project, which offers regular and free physical activities and assessments to people over 60 years of age, at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Brazil. It was a little early at that time to be thinking about the ageing process experienced by retired people in our country. The Brazilian demographic pyramid and entire socioeconomic context back then showed that caring for older people "was not important”. Times have changed and scientific evolution and world society has proven that longevity can (and should) be accompanied by more autonomy and quality of life for the individual. The creation of the IMMA was one of the historical milestones in Brazil, disrupting the thinking about health promotion for the elderly, predicting that, yes, these people would retire, but they would still be a part of society and, therefore, should be included. With a great chronological leap, IMMA continues to innovate and try to include the elderly in a society that is once again discussing the importance of older people in the composition of our community. When Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro proposes vertical isolation, i.e., the elderly remain at home without contact with younger members, who can continue generating the necessary wealth for the country; and when recent speeches by the new Minister of Health suggest that if faced with a choice between saving an elderly person or an adolescent, priority should be given to the young for economic reasons, it is time to return to defending the portion of the population that is most vulnerable.  IMMA participant Maria Avelar, 93 years of age and still exercising! The IMMA in current times This new coronavirus has left us living in a time of crisis and local authorities are asking us to remain isolated at home whenever possible, and for this reason, activities at the UERJ have been suspended. Nonetheless, given this scenario and considering the importance of its students remaining physically active, the IMMA decided to continue functioning. In an innovative way, physical activities always guided in person, in addition to "live" hugs and greetings, gave space for a greater exchange of messages via WhatsApp. The IMMA team's major concern was to minimise the functional losses that physical inactivity could cause in the elderly, both from a cognitive and physical point of view. Therefore, daily cognitive games were initially proposed, giving the team the necessary time to set up the training routines to be performed at home by the elderly. Participation was immediate, interaction was great, and everyone’s mood lifted in these times of uncertainty. Good-humoured reports and thanks also came from family members of the participating elderly. After the round of cognitive games came the first physical exercise classes, which were joined by parents of the Physical Education students, members of the IMMA team, who served as models in their videos and instructional photos (as a university project, it is worth mentioning that the IMMA serves as a field of pedagogical activity for Physical Education academics at UERJ). The adherence of participants was inspiring, especially as the elderly began to send videos and photos of their individual routines. Finally, in these confusing and difficult times, the IMMA continues to maintain its social commitment, innovating, stimulating and contributing to the health and quality of life of its users, demonstrating that we can unite, even at a distance, to combat the adverse effects of confinement.
Authors: Prof Flávia Porto*, Prof Nádia Souza Lima da Silva* and Prof Jonas Lírio Gurgel***Instituto de Educação Física e Desportos, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ)
 A pandemia do coronavírus (COVID-19) nos impõe poucas estratégias de enfrentamento, das quais se destaca o isolamento social. Se por um lado tal medida proporciona uma eficaz forma para reduzir a proliferação do vírus, por outro, traz uma gama de problemas para os indivíduos e para as famílias, em especial para os idosos, como limitá-los a participarem presencialmente de programas de promoção da saúde. Em uma sociedade altamente conectada, através da internet, boa parte dos idosos ainda compõe o grupo dos excluídos digitais, apresentando uma maior resistência ao uso de ferramentas de tecnologia digital.
A atual conjuntura vem impondo mudanças em nosso comportamento, servindo de catalisador para modificações dos hábitos de todos, levando-nos a aumentar o uso de ferramentas digitais de modo a mitigar o distanciamento social. Neste contexto, formas visando a continuidade de programas de exercícios físicos durante o isolamento social, principalmente para a população idosa, são essenciais para a manutenção da saúde, devendo fazer parte das políticas públicas. Diante desse quadro, a telessaúde ressurge como mais uma ferramenta de promoção e prevenção da saúde, as quais são ainda mais essenciais na atual conjuntura. A estratégia de utilizar ferramentas digitais, como vídeos e webconferência, possibilita a continuidade dos programas de promoção da saúde através do exercício físico, que são essenciais para superar o desuso imposto pelo confinamento. Neste sentido, gostaríamos de dividir nossa experiência com o uso da telessaúde para a continuidade do programa Idosos em Movimento: Mantendo a Autonomia (IMMA). Prof. K. GanapathyInnovaSpace Advisory Board member, Past President Telemedicine Society of India, Former Secretary/Past President Neurological Society of India & Indian Society for Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery, Emeritus Professor Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University, Former Adjunct Professor IIT Madras & Anna University Madras, Founder Director, Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation & Apollo Tele Health. Could Telehealth be the way forward in helping to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in India? The InnovaSpace Team
Quando se pensa em viajar de avião, a primeira coisa que vem à cabeça é o serviço de bordo e as opções de alimentação. Brincadeira! É a segurança, claro. Todo mundo quer decolar, viajar e aterrissar em paz. Mas, para que tudo possa acontecer de uma forma tão profissional que você nem perceba, muitas pessoas estão trabalhando nos bastidores. A tripulação – piloto, copiloto, comissários, técnicos – tem muita responsabilidade. Vivem uma rotina difícil de horas e horas no ar, com alguns intervalos no solo. Por isso, você já imaginou como é a saúde deles? Como fazem para ter corpo e mente saudáveis? E os passageiros? Será que todos estão em condições de voar? Esses questionamentos motivaram horas de estudo dos médicos Thais Russomano e João de Carvalho Castro, os quais dedicaram muito de sua vida acadêmica à medicina aeroespacial. E você tem a oportunidade de conhecer o trabalho deles em detalhes através do eBook "A Fisiologia Humana no Ambiente Aeroespacial".  Abaixo, um trecho do livro para que você possa se inspirar: "O sonho de voar sempre esteve presente no imaginário humano desde os tempos mais remotos. Atualmente, cruzar o mundo de um lado para o outro, aproximando pessoas, vencendo barreiras geográficas e integrando culturas, é uma realidade viável e acessível. O ambiente aeroespacial, porém, difere do terrestre e impõe vários riscos à saúde e à segurança de aviadores, da tripulação de bordo e de passageiros durante um voo." O eBook foi oficialmente lançado em 19 de Fev, na Ordem dos Médicos, Secção Sul, Lisboa, Portugal, com o suporte da Sociedade Médica Científica Aeroespacial - Associação Portuguesa (SMAPor). Os convidados tiveram ainda a oportunidade de assistir a três palestras. Na primeira, Thais Russomano debateu o tema "Fisiologia Humana no Espaço". Após, João Castro explorou aspectos ligados à "Fisiologia Aeroespacial". Por fim, a médica Rosirene Gessinger abordou o tema "Medicina de Aviação". O evento e o eBook são iniciativas da InnovaSpace, uma empresa britânica do tipo Think Tank, global e inclusiva, de caráter multicultural e multidisciplinar. A InnovaSpace atua nas áreas espacial, aeronáutica e em telessaúde. E tem uma missão educativa muito importante: fazer com que a ciência espacial seja democratizada, tornando-a um assunto comum ao maior número possível de pessoas mundo afora!
O livro pode ser comprado no site Smashwords. Registre-se aqui primeiro, faça uma pesquisa usando nome dos autores ou o título do livro para encontrá-lo. Compre e faça o download, como um arquivo epub ou mobi. Prof. K GanapathyInnovaSpace Advisory Board member, Past President Telemedicine Society of India, Former Secretary/Past President Neurological Society of India & Indian Society for Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery, Emeritus Professor Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University, Former Adjunct Professor IIT Madras & Anna University Madras, Founder Director, Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation & Apollo Tele Health.  January 22-24th 2020 saw the taking place of an international Symposium on Human Spaceflight, in Bengaluru, India. The event, jointly organised by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and Astronautical Society of India (ASI), under the theme of ‘Human Space Flight and Exploration – Present Challenges and Future Trends’, saw the coming together of more than 500 national and international delegates, all experts in the field of human spaceflight related technologies, from space agencies, astronauts, representatives of International space industries and academic institutes, young professionals and students. The Symposium was inaugurated on the 22nd January 2020 by Prof. K VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the presence of Dr K Sivan, Chairman of ISRO, and the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi conveyed a special message to the symposium participants. The PM highlighted that the benefits of India’s Space programme should be shared with the entire world, in line with India’s wisdom of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam" - which in Sanskrit means the World is one family. Shri P Kunhikrishnan, Director, URSC and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, welcomed the participants. Dr B N Suresh, Honorary Distinguished Professor, ISRO and Dr Jean Marc Astorg, Director Launch Vehicle Directorate, CNES, France, the International Programme Committee Co-Chairs addressed the gathering.  Symposium participants and delegates Image source: ISRO The ‘Heads of Space Agencies Panel’ was composed of the Space Agency chiefs from India and Romania, and the heads of the Human Spaceflight Programmes of CNES (France), NASA (USA), JAXA (Japan), ASI (Italy), and ROSCOSMOS (Russia). The agency heads made deliberations on the progress and future plans of the respective Space Agencies under the changing landscape and economics of human spaceflight and deep space exploration. Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall, President of CNES addressed the gathering on January 24, 2020 on the Indo–French partnership in human spaceflight. Another significant event in the Symposium was the ‘Astronaut Panel’ held on January 23, 2020 with the participation of five astronauts from France, Germany, Russia, USA and UAE, with the panel being moderated by Air Commodore (Retd) Mr Ravish Malhotra. The astronauts presented their thoughts on spaceflight and the technical, physiological and psychological challenges of humans during spaceflight.  Prof K Ganapathy at the Symposium The Symposium received a good response from the Industry, and an exclusive industry panel was also organised providing an opportunity for Indian and foreign space industry leaders to discuss their perspectives on human spaceflight and exploration. A total of 19 invited and plenary lectures were delivered by eminent experts in the Human spaceflight area, from USA, Russia, France, Japan, Italy, Germany and the UAE. Around 100 technical papers were presented by the delegates from different countries under 5 major topics, namely, Challenges, Enabling Technologies, Ground Systems, Scientific and Societal Relevance, Policy Aspects and Economics of human spaceflight. In addition, an exclusive student session was held (January 23, 2020) to give a special focus on the younger generation. Sixty students from premium academic institutions across the country participated in the session and 10 selected papers were presented by students. An exhibition of technologies and products related to Human Spaceflight, including space food, was organised as part of the symposium. A full-size model of a Crew Module, scaled models of the Crew Escape System, and the space station concept were showcased. The three-day Symposium has enabled an exchange of information between the delegates on the latest trends in human spaceflight exploration.  India's Vyommitra 'space robot' Also on show at the symposium was the Vyommitra 'space robot', a half-humanoid being made to accompany astronauts on the #Gaganyaan mission, and able to monitor biological parameters and perform life support operations. The robot will also be able to converse with the astronauts, recognise them and respond to their queries, as well as respond to commands from the control centre in Bengaluru and give feedback to the scientists who will be monitoring from Earth. Sources: 1 - https://www.isro.gov.in/update/24-jan-2020/iaa-isro-asi-symposium-human-space-flight-and-exploration-was-organised-bangalore 2 - https://www.news18.com/news/tech/isros-vyom-mitra-humanoid-robot-set-for-an-unmanned-trip-into-space-watch-video-2469801.html InnovaSpace Advisory Board Member Prof K. Ganapathy presented a paper at the symposium on “Neurological Changes in Outer Space”. It was the only paper presented by a medical doctor and served to raise the awareness of leading space scientists, engineers and technologists to the significance of giving equal importance to the health of the Vyomanauts on board the spacecraft.
Adam J CrellinGraduate Medical Student, Oxford University; Analog Astronaut, Austrian Space Forum  Analog astronaut Adam Crellin giving his graduation speech While attending the 2019 European Mars Conference in London this week at the Institute of Physics, we had the pleasure of witnessing the graduation ceremony of the next cohort of newly qualified Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) analog astronauts, who will take part in next years' AMADEE20 Mars analog mission in Israel. Analog astronauts are people who have been trained to test equipment and conduct activities under simulated space conditions, and they play an important role in preparing for future Moon and Mars missions. We liked so much the graduation speech given by analog astronaut Adam Crellin that we asked if we could publish it here on the InnovaSpace website to inspire all the young would-be astronauts out there - dream big! "I would like to open by saying not only how much of an honour it is to speak on behalf of my classmates and the Austrian Space Forum today, but also to stand in front of you all as a newly qualified analog astronaut. I am especially proud to be speaking at a European-wide conference in the UK, organised by the recently reformed Mars Society UK. In classrooms across the UK, and even the world, children are being asked by their primary school teachers, the existential question of ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’. Some of these children, fascinated by space, will say they want to be an astronaut. Children often continue this hope as they grow older, perhaps keeping it a bit quieter, guarding it a bit more closely. Later, they then discover that there are a huge range of diverse opportunities in space, and that astronauts are one small cog in a large machine. A machine that contains astronauts who plant flags; plant experts who grow astrocrops; astronomers who study the universe and its laws; lawyers who write legislation through careful engineering; engineers who build spacecraft that rock; and, well, for those who like rocks, there is geology as well as countless other professions." "As we prepare for a renewed age of crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit, to fill the steps of the Apollo astronauts, and extend those tracks further than have ever been achieved before, we are reminded of the importance of analog missions. In the same way famous twentieth-century polar explorer, Roald Amundsen, spent years experimenting, refining, and proving equipment and procedures suitable for a South Pole expedition, we too are preparing for a Mars expedition. And equally so, preparedness will be key to success. For theory and strictly controlled laboratory research, can only partially answer some of the questions about what to expect, and how to work on Mars. Analog research missions, including those of the Austrian Space Forum, help to provide further answers. To be an analog astronaut, is to be a unique cog in our space industry machine. A cog whose sporks interlink with many different cogs, working across disciplines with research groups throughout Europe. A well-oiled cog, remaining fit and healthy in preparedness for any challenge which may arise. And a cog which turns equally well with many cogs, both the rusted expert cogs, and the shiny new ones, who we seek to inspire the next generation of Mars pioneers; perhaps the most important task we all have. But despite these unique qualities, we remember that we are still a small cog and that it is our collective effort, turning together, which will one day lead us to Mars. To be part of this small community with big dreams, is the greatest honour of any analog astronaut." Adam J Crellin, 4th November 2019 |
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