Medizinische Tauglichkeit für kommerzielle suborbitale Raumflüge

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG

Kommerzielle Flüge mit „Suborbital Reusable Launch Vehicles (sRLV)“ werden einen wichtigen Markt des Weltraumtourismus darstellen und auch die Zugangsmöglichkeiten zu Schwerelosigkeit für Forschung und Entwicklung signifikant erhöhen. Demgegenüber sind das medizinische Wissen und Raumflugerfahrung mit Personen, die nicht die stringenten medizinischen Tauglichkeitskriterien eines Berufsastronauten erfüllen, verschwindend gering. Aktuell existiert keine internationale Gesetzgebung oder Organisation zur Regulation von suborbitalen Raumflügen und nur die USA hat bisher durch die Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Anforderungskriterien an die medizinische Tauglichkeit für die bemannte kommerzielle Raumfahrt erlassen. Im Zentrum der FAA-Richtlinien steht die Minimierung des Risikos für Gesundheit und Sicherheit der Besatzungsmitglieder oder Passagiere und die informierte Einwilligung des „space flight participant“ in alle mit dem Raumflug verbundenen Risiken. Der Erwerb raumfahrtmedizinischen Wissens und Erfahrung mit „space flight participants“ kann sich als extrem wertvoll für die zukünftige Exploration des Weltraums durch den Menschen erweisen.

ABSTRACT

Commercial flights with „Suborbital Reusable Launch Vehicles (sRLV)“ represent an important market for space tourism and will also significantly increase access to weightlessness and space for research and development. In contrast, medical knowledge and space flight experience with persons who do not meet the stringent medical fitness criteria for professional astronauts is negligible. Currently, there is no international legislation or organization to regulate suborbital space flights and only the U.S. has so far issued requirements for medical fitness criteria for manned commercial space flights by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA guidelines focus on minimizing the risk to the health and safety of crew members or passengers and are based on the informed consent of the „space flight participant“ to all risks associated with flight. The acquisition of medical knowledge and experience with non-professional astronauts can prove extremely valuable for the future exploration of space by humans.

Key words

commercial suborbital spaceflight - informed consent - medical fitness

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