How AstroAccess plans to make space more accessible

AstroAccess, a nonprofit that promotes disability inclusion in space, has partnered with the Aurelia Institute to advance astronaut diversity by doing research on zero-gravity missions.

“In one sense, space is the ultimate equalizer: everyone who leaves Earth is subject to the radical experience of leaving gravity behind,” the Aurelia Institute said in a blog post this month. But in another sense, real barriers to entry still exist for astronauts—be it cost, physical access, or lack of outreach.

In an effort to change this, Aurelia led the Horizon 2022 zero-gravity flight, which took place on May 22, with 25 crew participants from various organizations, including “ambassadors” for AstroAccess. The 90-minute mission simulated space flight with 20 parabolas of lunar, Martian, and zero gravity that lasted about 20 seconds each.

Mission basics

Each crew member on the Horizon flight had a research goal, art project, or storytelling task to complete while in microgravity. AstroAccess’s participants focused on specific new tests and experiments:

  • Centra “Ce-Ce” Mazyck, a wheelchair user, navigated the cabin using only hand holds.
  • Apurva Varia tested colored LED lights that non-verbally signaled deaf flyers to prepare for zero gravity.
  • Varia and ASL interpreter Justin Baldi also tested whether astronauts could comprehend sign language, which relies heavily on eye contact and facial expressions, while floating at different angles from each other.
  • Viktoria Modesta designed and tested a lower-leg prosthetic built specifically for microgravity conditions.
  • Mona Minkara used textured surfaces, such as velcro and corduroy, on the walls of the cabin to get oriented without using sight.

Extending access to space

A history: In the 1960s, 11 deaf men participated in NASA experiments regarding the effects of weightlessness on the body. These showed that some deaf people, due to vestibular system differences, are immune to motion sickness. This makes them “more adaptable to the foreign gravitational environments,” per AstroAccess—but no deaf astronaut has ever gone to space. In fact, NASA bars people who are blind, deaf, or have mobility-related disabilities from space missions.

A future: Last summer, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced plans to launch the first physically disabled astronaut into space. The agency said in January that it had narrowed 22,000+ applications down to below 1,400 for its 4- to 6-person program—and that 29 of those remaining applicants have a physical disability. And as space flight increasingly shifts to private companies, there may be more opportunities for expanded access to space.

What’s next? Following this mission and AstroAccess’s inaugural flight last fall, AstroAccess Flight 2 will take place on Nov. 19, 2022, with a crew of new and repeat ambassadors.

This story originally appeared on Payload and is republished here with permission.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90764012/how-astroaccess-plans-to-make-space-more-accessible?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

Created 3y | Jun 24, 2022, 4:21:16 AM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Trump extends TikTok sale deadline again—this time by 75 days

President Donald Trump on Friday said is signing an executive order to

Apr 4, 2025, 9:20:02 PM | Fast company - tech
Nintendo delays Switch 2 preorders because of Trump’s tariffs

Nintendo is pushing back preorders for its upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 while it figures out the implications of President Donald Trump’s

Apr 4, 2025, 6:50:05 PM | Fast company - tech
$2,300 for an iPhone? Trump’s tariffs could make that a reality

Your favorite iPhone could soon become much pricier, thanks to tariffs.

Apr 4, 2025, 4:30:07 PM | Fast company - tech
My dog recognizes the sounds a Waymo car makes

Most of us know the general (albeit simplified) story: Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov used a stimulus—like a metronome—around the dogs he was studying, and soon, the hounds would start to saliva

Apr 4, 2025, 4:30:07 PM | Fast company - tech
How I wrote the notes app of my dreams (no coding required)

For years, I’ve had a secret ambition tucked away somewhere near the back of my brain. It was to write a simple note-taking app—one that wouldn’t be overwhelmed with features and that would reflec

Apr 4, 2025, 2:20:04 PM | Fast company - tech
The AI tools we love right now—and what’s next

AI tools are everywhere, changing the way we work, communicate, and even create. But which tools are actually useful? And how can users integrate

Apr 4, 2025, 2:20:04 PM | Fast company - tech
How this former Disney Imagineer is shaping the next generation of defense technology

The way Bran Ferren sees it, the future of warfare depends as much on creativity as it does on raw firepower.

The former head of research and development at Walt Disney Imagineering—the

Apr 4, 2025, 11:50:04 AM | Fast company - tech