Risk of In Mission Impacts, Adverse Health Events or Long-Term Health Impacts due to Altered Immune Response (Immune Risk)

Exposure to the spaceflight environment has been shown to alter human immune function, but it is unclear at present if such alterations lead to increased susceptibility to disease. The reactivation of latent viruses has been documented in crewmembers and appears to be correlated with immune changes. These immune changes persist for the duration of a […]

Mar 11, 2025 - 21:42

Risk of In Mission Impacts, Adverse Health Events or Long-Term Health Impacts due to Altered Immune Response (Immune Risk)

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Functional Immune saliva collection at HRF

NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, during Functional Immune saliva collection at the Human Research Facility (HRF), in the Columbus Module. The Functional Immune investigation analyzes blood and saliva samples to determine the changes taking place in crew members’ immune systems during flight.

NASA

Exposure to the spaceflight environment has been shown to alter human immune function, but it is unclear at present if such alterations lead to increased susceptibility to disease. The reactivation of latent viruses has been documented in crewmembers and appears to be correlated with immune changes. These immune changes persist for the duration of a 6-month orbital flight; alterations to the immune function due to long-duration missions is unknown.

Functional Immune Blood Sample Draw at the Human Research Facility

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Alexander Gerst and NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, during Functional Immune Blood Sample Draw at the Human Research Facility (HRF), in the Columbus Module. The Functional Immune investigation analyzes blood and saliva samples to determine the changes taking place in crew members’ immune systems during flight.

NASA

Directed Acyclic Graph Files

+ DAG File Information (HSRB Home Page)

+ Immune Risk DAG and Narrative (PDF)

+ Immune Risk DAG Code (TXT)

Roscosmos cosmonaut and Expedition 63 Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner transfers biological samples into a science freezer for stowage and later analysis aboard the International Space Station.

NASA