Aerospace Acupuncture and Space Flight: A Realm Not Too Distant!

Aerospace Acupuncture may seem farfetched, but it is not. Short and long space voyages in micro- and zero-gravity environments are physiological obstacles that may be overcome by acupuncture. Already Chinese researchers are providing acupuncture to their taikonauts. The word taikonaut is simply a person who travels in space for the Chinese space program. Acupuncture for space travel provides natural treatments. Questions that need to be answered: Can acupuncture prevent or slow down the demineralization of bone, prevent the nausea and vomiting associated with micro- or zero-gravity conditions, and maintain physical or mental performance? Prof. Nadia Volf, MD, PhD, Paris XI University, who is a member of our Editorial Board, published an article in December 2010, entitled “Auriculotherapy and acupuncture in space sickness.”¹

Prof. Volf describes space sickness as being extremely violent “having never experienced anything like this before.” It is no way comparable with sea or motion sickness. One enters a “state of shock with a drop of arterial pressure, motionlessness, a pale grey face and sudden uncontrollable vomiting.” Prof. Volf was part of a research project in a French military aircraft that took off from Merignac, France and executed parabolic arcs, executing 31 of these in the space of 3 hours at an altitude of 10 km above the stratosphere. In brief, the results were remarkable: none of the 14 people treated with auriculotherapy were ill. However, 2 people who received scopolamine injections without acupuncture suffered from space sickness during the flight.

What acupuncture points were employed? Before the flight took off, 4 auricular semipermanent needles (ASP) were placed in brain stem and cervical vertebrae, diaphragm, stomach, and Shenmen. The ASP needles were fixed in place with adhesive. In flight before the parabolic maneuvers to simulate close to zero gravity, PC6, GB 20, and BL 10 were needled and removed. In zero gravity, acupuncture needles cannot stay in place and would be rejected from the body with the same force as when introduced into the acupuncture points. The needles have to be removed or taped down very securely before being exposed to zero gravity (Figs. 1 and 2).

FIG. 1.

The different phases of a parabolic flight.

FIG. 2.

Ear points: brain stem, cervical vertebrae, diaphragm, stomach, and Shenmen.

With more and more space flights taking place and eventually a voyage to Mars, I will not be surprised if acupuncture will be exploited for travelers. There are many challenges in space that are worth researching with acupuncture. One of the most challenging is the exposure to cosmic radiation. Perhaps acupuncture may stimulate natural biologic response modifiers that will favorably impact the immune system that is detrimentally sensitive to ionizing cosmic radiation. I do think that acupuncture may be helpful for bone demineralization. Acupuncture may be a benefit for many mental health challenges of long-duration space flights possibly associated with anxieties, fears, isolations, and so on.

On the internet, I found an interesting article from “Acupuncture Today”: Acupuncturist Wanted: For Mission to Mars.² It discusses that NASA is researching acupuncture to replace hundreds of pounds of medications for space travel. Also French, Chinese, and Russian space programs already have used acupuncture to prevent and treat several conditions. I predict that more and more research will take place in space involving acupuncture and that the transition from animal to human trials will become more frequent. It is remarkable that acupuncture over 5,000 years old is slowly finding its way into space. I can only imagine what the ancients would say if they knew the eventual exploitation of acupuncture beyond the earth. For myself, I would not have imagined this editorial 25 years ago.