Technology Demonstration of a Portable Sensorimotor Assessment System after Short-Duration Spaceflight

In one astronaut, left ankle proprioception dropped at R+0 to two standard deviations below normative means, then returned to pre-flight levels by R+1 after short-duration spaceflight.

• Why it matters: Microgravity-linked sensorimotor dysfunction can impair posture, locomotion, and manual control, but practical, sensitive tools for post-flight assessment are needed.
• What they did: A portable system combining an ankle proprioception test and visual-vestibular tasks in a virtual reality headset was deployed pre- and post-flight, with testing at R+0, R+1, and R+3.
• The result: Visual-vestibular performance decreased across parameters post-flight (below the 25th percentile of normative data) with little recovery by R+3, suggesting sensitivity to post-flight deconditioning and demonstrating operational feasibility.

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