Instrumented personal exercise during long-duration space flights.

ABSTRACT

This paper reports the results of instrumented personal exercise performed in flight by the Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 crewmen. These data include physiological responses to maximum aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer at the conclusion of an 84-d exposure to zero-G (Sklyab 4). The bioinstrumentation provided continuous vectorcardiograph heart rate and cycle ergometer work level; minute updates of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, VO-2, V-CO-2, and VE. All Skylab 4 crewmen had higher V-O-2-max (cc/kg/min) at completion of the 84-d earth orbital mission than they had 4 d before launch. Two of these Skylab 4 crewmen, the scientist pilot and pilot, showed high levels of aerobic fitness with V-O-2-max of 54 and 51 cc/kg/min respectively at a heart rate of 185 beats/min and a workload of 286 w.