Page 13 - Aerotech News and Review, Jan. 5 2018

NASA funds flight for space medical tech on Blue Origin
Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard reusable space vehi- cle Dec. 12, 2017, carrying a medical technology that could potentially treat chest trauma in a space environment.
The New Shepard reusable verti- cal takeoff and vertical landing space vehicle was launched with the experi- mental technology from Blue Origin’s West Texas launch site.
In addition to NASA funding non- government researchers to fly pay- loads, Blue Origin is a Flight Oppor- tunities program launch provider for government payloads. The Flight Op- portunities program is managed under NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
“This flight marks the first of many Flight Opportunities’ flights of pay- loads with Blue Origin,” said Ryan Dibley, NASA Flight Opportunities campaign manager for Blue Origin. “New Shepard brings new capabilities to the program. This launch platform allows for larger payloads, provides lower launch accelerations, and main- tains a sealed pressure environment.”
With NASA funding to support the flight cost, the Evolved Medical Mi- crogravity Suction Device technology was developed by Charles Marsh Cut- tino and his team at Orbital Medicine, Inc. in Richmond, Virginia.
The device could potentially assist in treating accidents such as a col-
lapsed lung where air and blood enter the pleural cavity. The payload was constructed in collaboration with the Purdue University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Indiana.
Currently astronauts and cosmo- nauts have to return to Earth quickly for medical treatment should an inci- dent arise with chest trauma on the In- ternational Space Station. Collapsed lungs are treated on Earth with grav- ity dependent collectors that will not work in space.
“My hope is that in the future, this type of medical device will be able to save the life of an astronaut, to con- tinue their mission of exploration,” said Cuttino. “These types of medical treatment options could be required to explore the moon and Mars.”
The new technology has a suction system that collects the blood in mi- crogravity and allows for the lungs to continuously inflate as well as store blood for transfusion. The device also has a pneumothorax simulator, which simulates an injured person and shows how the device removes the air and blood to promote healing.
Orbital Medicine’s suction device technology was selected in Nov. 2015 under a NASA Research Announce- ment: Space Technology Research and Development, Demonstration and Infusion, or Space Technology RED- DI-2015. The device has already flown
Blue Origin photograph
Blue Origin’s New Shepard booster rocket returns to its West Texas launch pad Dec. 12, 2017, after completing a flight that tested the Evolved Medical Microgravity Suction Device technology. NASA funded the micro-gravity service on the flight.
on parabolic flights with past program funding.
Through the Flight Opportunities
program, STMD selects promising technologies from industry, academia and government for testing on com- mercial launch vehicles. The Flight Opportunities program is funded by STMD, and managed at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in
Edwards, Calif.
STMD is responsible for develop-
ing the crosscutting, pioneering, new technologies and capabilities needed by the agency to achieve its current and future missions.
Blue Origin photograph
After completing a successful flight, a Blue Origin capsule lands safely in the West Texas desert Dec. 12, 2017. The capsule carries the Evolved Medical Microgravity Suction technology which could potentially assist in treating chest trauma on the International Space Station and future space exploration. NASA funded the micro- gravity service on the flight.
January 5, 2018
Blue Origin photograph
Blue Origin’s New Shepard booster rocket returns to its West Texas launch pad Dec. 12, 2017, after completing a flight that tested the Evolved Medical Microgravity Suction Device technology. NASA funded the microgravity service on the flight.
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