The ESA announced on the 13th (local time) on its official blog that it will conduct the ‘Vivaldi 3’ project at the MEDES space clinic in Toulouse, France, to test the effects of space life on the human body. The project offers a high-paying opportunity to earn nearly 8 million won by staying on a water bed in a hospital for ten days.
According to the European Space Agency (ESA) on the 18th, the experiment targets males aged 20 to 40, with a height between 165-180cm and a body mass index (BMI) of 20-26. Participants must be non-smokers in good health, not requiring any medical treatment, maintaining a good physical condition with regular exercise and having no allergies or dietary restrictions.
The selected 10 participants will undergo basic measurements for five days, after which they must immerse all parts of their body except the head and arms in a bathtub that comes up to the chest. This creates an environment similar to that of the International Space Station (ISS) by making them buoyant without physical support.
They are required to live in this “water bed” for ten days except when using the bathroom. Meals are consumed in a lying position, and there is no restriction on using mobile phones for activities like calling family. Participants use a trolley to access the bathroom without standing up.
After the ten days on the “water bed,” health measurements are taken for differences from the initial state for another five days, followed by a one-day follow-up examination after ten days. They will spend a total of 21 days at the hospital and receive 4,100 euros (approximately 7.67 million won) as compensation.
The ESA stated, “This experiment allows us to observe the changes astronauts would experience in a gravity-free environment. We expect changes such as decreased muscle and bone density, altered eyeball shapes, and fluid shifting to the brain. We will also examine the physiological changes affecting the nervous, cardiovascular, and metabolic systems, and explore the links between hormonal changes, immune responses, and the nervous and visual systems.”