Suit Delivering Electrical Impulses Tested in Space in Hopes of Protecting Astronauts’ and Older People’s Muscles

An experiment is underway aboard the International Space Station to assess whether electrical muscle stimulation can limit muscle weakening and atrophy under microgravity conditions.

French astronaut Sophie Adenot is using a special suit fitted with electrodes that deliver low-intensity electrical impulses during exercise sessions.

The study, called EasyMotion-2, is examining whether electromyostimulation, known as EMS, can produce better results when combined with the physical exercises routinely performed in space.

Details of the experiment were revealed by Adriano Golemis, Chief Medical Officer of the European Space Agency (ESA), in a post.

On Earth, muscles work continuously to support the body and counteract gravity. Walking, getting up from a chair or standing are everyday actions that require constant muscular engagement.

When the body is in microgravity, this stimulation is significantly reduced. As a result, astronauts may experience a decline in muscle mass and strength, as well as changes in the way the neuromuscular system controls movement.

To counter these effects, physical exercise is a mandatory part of daily life aboard the International Space Station. Astronauts can exercise for up to 2.5 hours a day, using equipment such as a treadmill, exercise bicycle and resistance machines.

However, even an intensive exercise program cannot completely neutralize the impact of the absence of gravity.

The EasyMotion-2 suit fits tightly around the body and has integrated electrodes. Through them, mild electrical impulses pass through the skin and activate specific muscle groups in a controlled manner.

EMS is not a new method. On Earth, the technology has been used for years in fields such as sports and rehabilitation.

The researchers’ main question is whether electrical stimulation can provide a measurable benefit in addition to the effect of physical exercise in microgravity.

Sophie Adenot is conducting the sessions while using the treadmill and resistance equipment on the Space Station. The focus is on the muscles that support posture and movement, including those in the neck, back, shoulders and legs.

The study will assess whether combining exercise with electrical stimulation preserves muscle tone, the mechanical properties of muscles and the strength required for their functioning.

To collect data, measurements are taken before, during and after the space mission. Among other tools, the researchers are using myotonometry, dynamometry, surface electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Adenot’s data will be compared with the results of previous astronauts who trained without using electromyostimulation. This comparison will help determine whether EMS offers any additional advantage.

If the method proves effective, it could help reduce the loss of muscle mass and strength during long-duration space missions.

Such a result would be important for future expeditions to the Moon and Mars. On these missions, astronauts could spend months in microgravity and would then need to be able to move and work on the surface.

However, the experiment’s potential significance is not limited to space exploration.

If its benefits are confirmed, the method could also find uses on Earth, particularly among older people, individuals with limited mobility and patients recovering from surgery who have difficulty maintaining muscle mass through conventional exercise.

For now, this remains a hypothesis being tested, not a proven effect. The results of EasyMotion-2 will show whether electrical stimulation can serve as an additional tool for protecting muscles, initially in space and perhaps in the future on Earth as well.