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The Programme at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Hypoxia is a state of oxygen deficiency in which the body or
is a five-day, fully immersive training programme that a region of the body does not receive an adequate amount of
provides the skills required to effectively conduct research on oxygen at tissue level.
the next generation of commercial space vehicles as part of
Project PoSSUM. It combines three weeks of webinar Common symptoms of hypoxia include shortness of breath,
instructions followed by one-week of intensive training. rapid breathing and a fast heart rate, while severe cases can INTERVIEW
result in confusion, the inability to communicate and even
What makes up the atmosphere? death.
The atmosphere is what surrounds the Earth. It is made
up of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%) and other gases (1%).
The four primary layers of the atmosphere; troposphere, The challenge with slow onset hypoxia is that changes are so
stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere protect Earth gradual and subtle they can be difficult to identify. “If
from harmful radiations by absorbing them. something did happen in a sub-orbital spaceflight and there
was a depressurisation you could recognise your own
According to NASA, studying the mesosphere is
fundamental to understanding long-term changes in the symptoms in that event,” added Norah.
Earth’s atmosphere and how these changes affect climate.
Participants receive comprehensive instruction on
The Training noctilucent cloud science, observational history, research
Norah undertook the first of “many training programmes” methods from some of the world’s leading noctilucent cloud
with Project PoSSUM in October 2017 at the Embry-Riddle scientists, then learn to use real PoSSUM instruments on
Aeronautical University in Florida. “They had multiple strands customised simulations of actual PoSSUM research flights,
to the training,” explained Norah. using the most modern training facilities available. Upon
graduation, participants will be fully trained and qualified to
“When we got to Florida we did a lot of hands on training. We participate in PoSSUM graduate specialisations, become a
did aerobatic flights where we experienced 2G, 3G and 4G PoSSUM educator, or to fly to space as a PoSSUM Scientist
load as well as ZERO-G so we had that floating experience. Astronaut.
We also did hypoxic training where they put us in a chamber
and highered the altitude in the chamber so it reduces the In addition, PoSSUM works alongside Final Frontier Design, a
oxygen and that’s really about understanding how our own company who produces space suits for NASA as part of a
bodies behave in those conditions so that you can recognise Space Act Agreement. Candidates with PoSSUM get to try
slow onset hypoxia.” them on and test them out.

Dr. Norah Patten, Project PoSSUM

The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport 11