Instrumentation and recording scheme for cardiovascular studies in chronically instrumented human surrogates and non-invasively instrumented humans during parabolic flight

The Laboratory for Aerospace Cardiovascular Research (LACR) performs Investigative studies into the cardiovascular effects of altered-Gz environments on chronically instrumented human surrogates and non-invasive instrumented humans. This paper describes the instrumentation and recording scheme for a recent transitory (30 S) micro-Gz experiment consisting of 210 parabolas on NASA´s KC-135 platform. The experimental stations consisted of two upright/supine conscious hemodynamic chronically instrumented surrogates, an anesthetized, chronically Instrumented surrogate undergoing a trans-esophageal echography, a non-invasively instrumented human undergoing standard echography, and an evaluation study of NASA-ARC instrumentation. The human surrogates were instrumented with high fidelity LA, LV, RA, RV, PA, and pleural pressures; PA and Ao pulsed doppler velocity/vessel diameter; NASA build ECG telemetry and an IVC hydraulic occluder. The human subjects underwent an extensive echography procedure in the upright and supine position after a minimum of 2 hour deconditioning In a launch position. These subjects were instrumented with a nasal thermistor, ECG, and non-invasive finger blood pressure. Physiological instrumentation consisted of 98 independent data channels recorded on 8 instrumentation tape recorders and 4 VCRs. Instrumentation wiring consisted of over 7000 feet of RG-174, and 240 feet of 10 gage 3 wire 120 VAC cable. AC power was provided through a 3.1 K VA uninteruptable power supply fed by a 70A 120VAC inverter and 2–20A 120 VAC inverters.