Exercising in space...

While being an astronaut might be one of the most AWESOME jobs EVER, it does put a lot of stress on your body (and that's an understatement). Because there is no longer that pesky 1g to contend with, those who spend an extended amount of time in space suffer from muscle atrophy and bone loss. Additionally, blood pressure rises because gravity no long pulls blood down to the extremities, causing it to pool in the torso.

I've always thought it would be really cool to work for NASA and design exercise equipment. I decided to look up what NASA's been up to, and came across this presentation and this website. So, they've come up with some rather unique solutions for exercising in space:

• Interim Resistive Exercise Device (IRED) - this is currently used on the International Space Station to simulate weight-lifting here on Earth. Software is used to control resistance to a user-set level, and this is delivered throughout the entire range of motion.
  
• Treadmill Vibration Isolation System (TVIS) - this is a free-floating treadmill that is held together by "highly flexible rope isolators" (basically, big bungee cords). The user is tethered to the device using a belt cord.
  
• Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation System (CEVIS) - this is basically just an exercise-bike. The main difference between it and the ones in common use is that the user is strapped into the seat and clipped into the pedals to keep from floating away. Also, as space is at a premium, the system just contains a seat and pedals (i.e., the frame has been eliminated).
  

I couldn't imagine working out on these systems for 2.5+ hrs a day... I can barely manage 45min on a treadmill before I go insane! Guess I won't be going on a manned missions to Mars anytime soon... #20