NASA Crew-13 to Study Blood Flow, Blood Clots and Human Health in Space During a Long-Duration ISS Research Mission

A collaborative effort between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) to study a series of biomedical and human performance investigations. 

The astronauts from both the space agencies will contribute towards studying effects of space flight on blood flow and clotting, they will also be testing crew members’ manual piloting skills, evaluating methods to counter vision and brain changes in space, gather essential human health data to improvise future missions and study forces astronauts experience while landing on Earth to refine re-entry hardware  and protocol.

The new project called, Venous Haemostasis, builds on previous study on blood flow in humans in space. The study will combine research efforts made by both space agencies.

Jason Lytle, the study’s principal investigator, said: “In space, weightlessness can disrupt normal blood flow in astronauts’ veins. Irregular and slow blood flow can increase the risk of blood clot formation, a serious health condition. Venous Haemostasis will help us understand why these changes may occur in some astronauts but not others.”

Prof. Phil Williams, an astropharmacy researcher and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Nottingham, previously told MedBound Times that microgravity causes fluid to shift toward the head and thorax because the usual hydrostatic pressure gradient is altered.

According to Prof. Williams, these fluid shifts can affect circulation and may also influence how medicines are absorbed and processed in the body. His research in astromedicine and astropharmacy highlights why understanding physiological changes during spaceflight is important when developing medical approaches for longer-duration missions.

The connection is particularly relevant to Crew-13’s Venous Haemostasis investigation: microgravity can alter fluid distribution and blood flow, while researchers are examining how those changes relate to blood clot formation and individual differences among astronauts.

Astronauts will be required to undergo MRI scans, jugular vein ultrasounds, blood pressure checks and blood draws. Researchers will use this data to track changes in blood flow and blood composition. 

The study’s findings will allow scientists to implement preventative measures for at-risk crew members and improve health and safety on future missions.

Researchers seem positive on learning how the study will contribute to better ways in which we can prevent and treat blood clots both in space and on Earth.

The implications extend beyond monitoring astronauts during a single mission. Prof. Phil Williams, whose research focuses on astropharmacy and astromedicine, has argued that understanding how the space environment changes human physiology is essential for developing medical approaches suited to long-duration missions. He has also highlighted the need to consider how altered physiology can affect medicines and their delivery in space.

The study aims to assess performance of astronauts during simulated lunar landings and to clarify how gravitational transitions may affect piloting capabilities and decision-making. 

Before, during and after the mission, the astronauts will be required to do a laptop simulation designed to test their ability to land a virtual aircraft on the moon. 

Impact of the Study

Results from this study will allow scientists to create strategies to gear astronauts in future missions. The finding will also help in understanding how dizziness and sensory impairments could affect the ability to drive vehicles on Earth.

Apart from the studies discussed, astronauts will also be contributing towards the following studies:
1. B-Complex study: Astronauts will consume B-complex supplements before, during and after the mission to understand how the supplement can prevent or manage Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS)

2. Standard Measures: collect physiological and behavioural data for countering adverse effects.

3. Spacecraft Occupant Risk: Assesses the forces astronauts experience during landing to help NASA redefine strategies and hardware to reduce injury risks.

4. Zero T2: tracks whether daily exercise routines affect health and performance of crew members compared to those who do not.

Crew-13 is the 13th crew rotation mission of SpaceX's human space transportation system and its 14th flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, to the space station through NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

The crew constitutes a team of four astronauts, with geologists, a fighter pilot, a mechanical and a ship power plant engineer. The astronauts will be staying at the International Space Station for approximately 180 days, contributing to the studies listed above.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will be carrying the crew to the International Space Station, and will be launched on 1st October 2026.

The spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 7 passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond.

The dragon spacecraft consists of 16 Draco thruster engines capable of generating 90 pounds of force in the vacuum of space to orient the spacecraft during the mission.

The Dragon parachute system includes two drogue parachutes and four main parachutes to stabilize the spacecraft after re-entry and during landing.

(Rh/MF/MSM)