Human Health and Performance

Johnson Space Center
General
Human Health and Performance
International Space Station (ISS)
For more than 25 years, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, conducting research that is transforming life on Earth and shaping the future of exploration.
Posted January 13, 2026
Johnson Space Center
Human Health and Performance
People of Johnson
Susan Schuh has dedicated her career to helping humans adapt to life beyond Earth.   As the Flight Crew Integration Operational Habitability (OpsHab) team lead in NASA’s Human Health and Performance Directorate at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Schuh leads efforts to understand what it is really like to live and work in space. She turns […]
Posted January 12, 2026
Human Health and Performance
Microorganisms and Spaceflight Spaceflight poses a risk of adverse health effects due to the interactions between microorganisms, their hosts, and their environment.
Posted December 30, 2025
Human Health and Performance
Hazardous Materials Summary Tables (HMSTs) are a compilation of the chemical, biological, and flammability hazards of materials on a given flight or mission. HMSTs are required by Safety for all Programs, including but not limited to ISS, Commercial Crew Program (CCP), Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), and Gateway.
Posted December 3, 2025
Human Health and Performance
Toxicology and Environmental Chemistry (TEC) monitors airborne contaminants in both spacecraft air and water. In-flight monitors are employed to provide real-time insight into the environmental conditions on ISS. Archival samples are collected and returned to Earth for full characterization of ISS air and water.
Posted December 3, 2025
TREAT Astronauts Act
Human Health and Performance
The Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) program collects, analyzes, and interprets medical, physiological, hazard exposure, and environmental data for the purpose of maintaining astronaut health and safety as well as preventing occupationally induced injuries or disease related to space flight or space flight training.
Posted November 25, 2025
Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO)
Astronauts
General
Human Health and Performance
Humans in Space
The Human Body in Space
In October 2024, NASA’s Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO) initiated a working group to review the status and progress of research and clinical activities intended to mitigate the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) during spaceflight.
Posted March 15, 2025
Human Health and Performance
Human System Risks
Risk is inherent in human spaceflight. However, specific risks can and should be understood, managed, and mitigated to reduce threats posed to astronauts. Risk management in the context of human spaceflight can be viewed as a trade-based system.
Posted March 11, 2025
Human Health and Performance
Human System Risks
It is important to protect humans from unintended electrical current flow during spaceflight. The thresholds for contact electrical shock are well established, and standards and requirements exist that minimize the probability of contact electrical shock. Current thresholds were chosen (vs.
Posted March 11, 2025
Human Health and Performance
Human System Risks
New spacecraft that will transport crews to the Lunar and Martian surfaces and return them to Earth may have diverse landing modalities which will function in different landing environments.
Posted March 11, 2025
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