// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Health Monitoring
Health monitoring involves continuously checking the status and performance of a spacecraft's systems to ensure everything is working correctly and to detect any potential problems early.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Health monitoring is the continuous acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of spacecraft telemetry data (e.g., temperatures, voltages, currents, pressures) to assess the operational status, identify anomalies, predict failures, and ensure the overall well-being of onboard systems.
BACKGROUND
The billionaire space race is the rivalry among entrepreneurs who have entered the space industry from other industries – particularly computing. This private spaceflight race involves sending privately developed rockets and vehicles to various destinations in space, often in response to government programs or to develop the space tourism sector. Some of this competitiveness is part of the New Space Race.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Telemetry analysis
- System diagnostics
- Prognostics
- Status check
USAGE NOTE
Robust health monitoring systems are critical for preventing catastrophic failures in long-duration missions.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Health Monitoring.
A consortium led by Baylor College of Medicine with partners Caltech and MIT, sponsored by NASA. TRISH's primary goal is to find and fund novel research and technologies to protect the health of astronauts on long-duration space missions.
A subsidiary of RTX Corporation, Collins Aerospace develops and manufactures advanced life support, environmental control, and crew health monitoring systems for spacecraft like the International Space Station and the Orion capsule. Their technology monitors air quality, vital signs, and overall crew well-being.
This NASA program is dedicated to discovering the best methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. HRP conducts research on mitigating risks to astronaut health, including developing monitoring tools and countermeasures for the effects of spaceflight.
ESA operates numerous programs focused on human and robotic exploration. Its Human and Robotic Exploration directorate develops technologies and conducts research to monitor and maintain the health of astronauts in space, including wearable sensors and remote diagnostic tools.
Axiom Space is building the world's first commercial space station. A core part of their mission is providing a safe habitat, which involves integrating advanced life support and health monitoring systems for both private and professional astronauts.
KBR is a major NASA contractor that provides science, engineering, and mission operations support. They employ biomedical engineers and flight surgeons who monitor astronaut health during missions and are involved in the development and operation of space medical systems.
A company developing wireless, dry-printed, wearable technology for electrophysiological monitoring. They have worked with TRISH to adapt their smart skin patches for monitoring astronaut sleep and brain activity in space without cumbersome gels and wires.
As a developer and operator of human-rated spacecraft like the Crew Dragon, SpaceX has designed and integrated comprehensive systems to monitor the cabin environment and the health status of its crew members in real-time throughout missions.