And tenacity. <\/span><\/p>\n And determination. <\/span><\/p>\n And character. Since bone density loss <\/a>is a key barrier to long-term low gravity living…aren’t technically-trained veteran <\/span>paraplegians and double amputees great candidates for the astronaut corps? Does a fighter pilot have the discipline, skill and temperament to <\/span>be a launch driver? Does an armored division tanker have the skills to be an in-flight systems specialist? <\/span><\/p>\n Does USMC Corporal Todd Love<\/a> (an incredibly inspirational guy! seen here) really need<\/em> legs to operate in micro-gravity<\/span>, when he might only need wheels on the ground? (As you can see, he does not need legs whatsoever).<\/span><\/p>\n I ask you…<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Could this approach create uplifting new opportunities to serve and thrive in a way that makes the unavoidable SCI injury extraordinarily <\/span>valuable? <\/span><\/p>\n Aren’t two-legged people naturally less abled<\/em> in the spaceflight environment?<\/span><\/p>\n Who is the more-natural space-athlete? <\/span><\/p>\n Who is the more-natural<\/em> astronaut?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n David Huer<\/span><\/p>\n Numbers<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n US veterans with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) as of 2008: <\/strong>26,000 veterans<\/span> US citizens with SCI: <\/strong>240,000 and 337,000 people<\/span> Latest EVA suit made by <\/strong>Oceaneering Inc.<\/a> (Houston, TX):<\/strong> <\/span> Interesting aspects of design\/safety aspects<\/span><\/strong><\/span> Healthcare research outcome:<\/span><\/strong> Images:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n US Astronaut Tom Jones (STS-129): https:\/\/skywalking1.files.wordpress.com\/2009\/11\/tom-reaching-for-lab-umbilicals-sts098-330-0071.jpg<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n USMC Corporal Todd Love and Team X-T.R.E.M.E. competing in The Spartan Race, Leesburg, VA, 2012: http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-2195897\/Triple-amputee-veteran-completes-grueling-10-5-mile-endurance-race-called-The-Beast-hours-honor-fallen-U-S-soldiers.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n![\"tom-reaching-for-lab-umbilicals-sts098-330-0071\"](\"http:\/\/davehuer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/tom-reaching-for-lab-umbilicals-sts098-330-0071-300x199.jpg\")
After NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos got home from a year in space this past spring, <\/span>the US Congress began examining<\/a> whether to provide lifetime health benefits to astronauts. <\/span>Many are ex-military and get benefits that way. NASA will monitor recipients <\/span>for long-duration mission health planning. <\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nAt industrial design school, one of my human factors projects was a <\/span>spider-like astrogeology exoskeleton, designed so geologists could move along a cliff face looking at strata. And the thinking fed into iteration #1 of my design thesis: one of the first social web wearables<\/a>; a performance tool for whitewater slalom athletes<\/span>. But a bigger aspect of the thinking keeps coming back to me: A question that might help address the <\/span>dilemma of bone loss. A question that keeps coming back after doing WarriorHealth CombatCare<\/a> and <\/span>finding out about the fine work done at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center<\/a> in Bethseda, MD.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"USMC](\"http:\/\/davehuer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/article-2195897-14C1F377000005DC-237_634x545-300x258.jpg\")
Is a veteran with paraplegia or no legs the natural<\/em><\/span> spacecraft driver?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![\"Constellation_spacesuit\"](\"http:\/\/davehuer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Constellation_spacesuit.png\")
![\"Constellation_spacesuit-paraplegian2\"](\"http:\/\/davehuer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Constellation_spacesuit-paraplegian2.png\")
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\nhttp:\/\/www.military.com\/benefits\/veterans-health-care\/veterans-with-spinal-cord-injury-disorders.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\nNew injuries per year, as of 2015:<\/strong> 12,500 people<\/span>
\nhttp:\/\/www.sci-info-<\/span>pages.com\/facts.html <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/pdf\/246726main_ConstellationSpaceSuitSystemBriefing.pdf<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n* Effect to bone mass\/density and to body functions<\/span>
\n* Pant legs + boots: removed<\/span> – aperture and material needs cut by ~40%, with 5 apertures (head, left & right arm, left & right leg) reduced to 3.<\/span>
\n* Electronic components & new designs for torso & new “thighboots”<\/span>
\n * “Thighboots” reduce the dangers of entanglement & provide push-off tasking as needed<\/span>
\n * External prosthetics designed to attach to thighboots <\/span><\/p>\n
\nCould NASA, the VA and DoD assess impact on SCI to help society <\/span>groundside?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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