Space health experts at Northumbria University are working alongside an international team investigating Blood Flow Restriction technology for astronaut health as part of the Fram2 mission – the first human spaceflight over the Earth’s polar regions.
The pioneering study is set to assess the safety and effectiveness of Hytro’s Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) technology and Delfi’s Personalised Tourniquet System (PTS) during exercise in space to protect astronaut health in microgravity. The research marks the second phase in an ambitious program to examine the physiological benefits of BFR in space, following its debut on the Polaris Dawn mission in 2024.
Astronauts suffer loss of muscle and bone mineral in space due to the absence of gravity, resulting in no resistance to everyday movement. These deficits can persist long after return to Earth. Regular exercise is therefore a key aspect of life in space for astronauts.
Blood Flow Restriction, or BFR, has been shown to maximise the impact of exercise on Earth, and space agencies and private space exploration companies are interested in its potential to maintain muscle mass and strength in microgravity, where traditional exercise equipment is not feasible due to size and resource constraints.
BFR works by applying a compression around the top of the thigh or arm to temporarily reduce blood flow to the muscles, which increases muscle stress, and ultimately enhances the impact and efficiency of exercise. This method enhances muscle strength and recovery more efficiently than traditional techniques, potentially addressing a critical challenge for astronaut health.
Hytro, a leader in wearable BFR technology, is spearheading this initiative in collaboration with the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, Northumbria University's Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Delfi Medical Innovations Inc. and space technology leaders Vast and Labfront.
Fram2 is the first human spaceflight mission to a polar orbit, travelling over Earth's North and South Poles. From an altitude of 425-450 km, the international crew of four will spend three to five days on-orbit, conducting research that advances human health.
Fram2 will be taking Hytro’s patented BFR wearables and Delfi’s PTS for BFR to bring the transformative benefits of BFR training to astronauts. The research builds on the proven success of Hytro with over 200 elite sports teams worldwide trusting the methods across the Premier League, NFL, NBA, NHL, with individual athletes in F1, boxing, athletics, and cycling.
The Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to improving population health and wellbeing through innovative research, technology development, and collaboration with industry and healthcare partners. Their work with Fram2 and Hytro will see them lead on reviewing research and presenting findings of how BFR with exercise can protect astronaut health in zero gravity.
Supporting the mission will be crucial work from a number of other organisations including the Northumbria University’s Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory, who conduct world-class research on advancing research in human health and performance in extreme environments, such as space, and provide leading expertise on prescription and application of BFR exercise.
Alongside them will be Vast - a pioneering aerospace company focused on developing space stations to support human habitation and research in space, with the goal of enabling sustainable space exploration and advancing humanity beyond Earth.
Completing the collaboration will be Labfront – a health data analytics platform that helps researchers and organizations collect, analyse and manage physiological data from wearable devices and mobile health technologies to gain actionable insights for studies and projects.
This collaboration provides a unique opportunity for the expertise developed in professional sports to be translated into space, providing a potentially powerful tool to preserve the health of future astronauts in the demanding conditions of space.
Fram2 builds on the success of the Polaris Dawn mission, where Hytro's passive BFR technology was shown to be safe in microgravity. This second study introduces exercise with BFR, using ultrasound probes and wearable devices to analyse blood flow. The data will be compared to baseline measurements taken on Earth to better understand the effects of zero gravity on circulation.
The astronauts will exercise using a custom device developed by Vast that enables exercises such as squats in zero gravity. The findings from Fram2 will shape future studies on how BFR can combat muscle and bone deterioration, reduce fluid shifts to the head, and simulate low-level Earth-like activity in space.
Dr Joe Handsaker, Co-Study Lead & Chief Innovation Officer at Hytro, stated, “This study is a massive step not just for Hytro but also the wider BFR community. By proving that BFR is safe to perform not only passively, as we saw on Polaris Dawn, but also whilst performing exercise, this will unlock the next stage of space research where we will be able to look at whether BFR improves exercise efficiency as much in micro-gravity as it has been shown to do here on earth.”
Dr Tom Maden-Wilkinson, Co-Study Lead Sheffield Hallam University & Emles Bioventures said, “As co-principal investigator for the project alongside Dr Joe Handsaker it is a real privilege to be able to be able to work as part of such a pioneering programme of research building on the success of our work on Polaris Dawn. Our ability to maintain our muscle mass and function is crucial not only for spaceflight but for our everyday lives. In bringing together experts from different fields of industry and academia, we hope that this work helps bring us ever closer to some of the solutions that will enable the aim of humans going to Mars.”
Dr Luke Hughes, Associate Professor of Aerospace Physiology and Rehabilitation at Northumbria University, highlighted, “BFR has been shown to improve exercise efficiency in ground-based studies in a manner which would be compatible with the greater constraints of exploration-class missions to space. This study marks the second in-flight research to explore the safety of BFR training as an adjunct to astronaut health and performance in space.”
Northumbria University is powering the next generation of space innovation, working across a multitude of specialist areas, from space physiology and solar and space physics, to satellite communications and space law and policy.
Northumbria collaborates extensively with partners including UK Research and Innovation, the UK Space Agency, the UK Met Office, and over 40 other industrial partners.
In 2023, the University announced the development of the new North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST), which is expected to open in 2026.
Described as a “game-changer” for the UK space economy, NESST is the result of a £50 million investment with partners including the UK Space Agency and Lockheed Martin UK Space. The Centre will bring together industry and academia to collaborate on internationally significant space research and technological developments, creating over 350 jobs and injecting over £260 million into the North East economy over the next 30 years.
