WEBVTT 00:00:03.646 --> 00:00:06.920 🎵 [music] 🎵 00:00:10.661 --> 00:00:13.963 KIDS: Our World! 00:00:13.965 --> 00:00:19.270 EVAN: I... can... do...it! Whoo. 00:00:19.271 --> 00:00:22.753 Well, I'm continuing to train my body to be as fit as it can be. 00:00:22.755 --> 00:00:26.123 You know astronauts spend a lot of time on fitness too. 00:00:26.125 --> 00:00:28.860 Here's a question for you. How much time do you think 00:00:28.861 --> 00:00:31.730 astronauts spend on fitness while in space? 00:00:31.731 --> 00:00:33.831 KID 1: 30 Minutes? 00:00:33.833 --> 00:00:36.801 KID 2: I like to get up and play for sixty a day! 00:00:36.803 --> 00:00:40.156 EVAN: Astronauts spend more than an hour a day on fitness. 00:00:40.158 --> 00:00:42.573 Why do you think that is? 00:00:42.575 --> 00:00:45.190 KID 1: Training for a space marathon? 00:00:45.191 --> 00:00:51.248 KID 2: To win the first outerspace body building competition! Grrr! 00:00:51.250 --> 00:00:54.651 EVAN: Exercising is a priority in space almost 00:00:54.653 --> 00:00:57.755 as important as eating and sleeping. 00:00:57.756 --> 00:01:00.691 Space exploration is a very important job. 00:01:00.693 --> 00:01:03.528 In order to do their job effectively, astronauts have 00:01:03.530 --> 00:01:06.665 to make physical fitness a high priority in their day. 00:01:06.666 --> 00:01:10.368 Doing this helps them stay healthy when they return from space. 00:01:10.370 --> 00:01:14.071 In space there is no gravity for their bodies to work against. 00:01:14.073 --> 00:01:17.541 You might be wondering, "Well why would I want to work against gravity?" 00:01:17.543 --> 00:01:20.478 EVAN: Well, your body working against the pushing force of 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.581 gravity actually helps keep you fit and healthy. 00:01:23.583 --> 00:01:29.086 Without that opposing force in space our bodies become very lazy. 00:01:29.088 --> 00:01:32.590 And a lazy body returning to Earth is not a good thing. 00:01:32.591 --> 00:01:35.760 Hey Globey, maybe I can get some workout tips from our 00:01:35.761 --> 00:01:40.398 friends over at NASA Johnson Space Center. They help keep our NASA astronauts healthy. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:42.666 HEATHER VAN VELSON: Hi Evan. 00:01:42.668 --> 00:01:45.036 EVAN: I was wondering if mabe you could show us some of the 00:01:45.038 --> 00:01:47.451 equipment astronauts use to stay healthy. 00:01:47.453 --> 00:01:49.741 HEATHER: I'd be really happy to talk to you about the 00:01:49.743 --> 00:01:52.676 exercise equipment that they have in space. 00:01:52.678 --> 00:01:56.715 The astronauts have three different pieces of exercise hardware that they use. 00:01:56.716 --> 00:02:00.085 They have a treadmill, they have a stationary bicycle, 00:02:00.086 --> 00:02:03.721 and they have resistive exercise. 00:02:03.723 --> 00:02:07.791 This is called CVIS, it's like the astronauts stationary bike. 00:02:07.793 --> 00:02:12.630 In space, since they don't have gravity, they don't need a seat sit on. 00:02:12.631 --> 00:02:15.400 The astronauts just let their bodies float. 00:02:15.401 --> 00:02:20.071 So, they have special shoes that can clip into the pedals. 00:02:20.073 --> 00:02:24.575 Like that. Now they won't float away while their exercising. 00:02:24.576 --> 00:02:30.148 This is the ARED which is kind of like the astronauts weight lifting machine. 00:02:30.150 --> 00:02:34.351 Here on the ground, the way we do our weightlifting is we 00:02:34.353 --> 00:02:39.090 use barbells and dumbbells to provide resistance to make our muscles strong, 00:02:39.091 --> 00:02:42.426 but in space those barbells and dumbbells wouldn't work 00:02:42.428 --> 00:02:45.296 because without gravity, they don't weigh anything. 00:02:46.633 --> 00:02:51.101 So instead, they have to use this special machine, ARED. 00:02:51.103 --> 00:02:55.806 The way it works is it has these two cylinders and all 00:02:55.808 --> 00:02:59.610 the air is pushed out of those cylinders and that creates a vacuum. 00:02:59.611 --> 00:03:03.715 So the astronaut has to pull against the vacuum to lift 00:03:03.716 --> 00:03:07.318 the bar and which gives the bar a certain amount of weight. 00:03:09.121 --> 00:03:12.623 Behind me is TVIS. This is the treadmill. 00:03:12.625 --> 00:03:15.926 They use this treadmill to get their aerobic exercise 00:03:15.928 --> 00:03:18.930 which is good for their heart. And also they use it 00:03:18.931 --> 00:03:21.031 for strengthening their bones. 00:03:21.033 --> 00:03:24.803 In space without gravity, the astronauts would just float 00:03:24.805 --> 00:03:30.375 off of the treadmill, so they have to use bunjees like this one. 00:03:30.376 --> 00:03:34.445 And they attach those to a harness and these things will 00:03:34.446 --> 00:03:37.881 pull the astronauts down and keep them on top of the 00:03:37.883 --> 00:03:41.318 treadmill so can run and get a good workout. 00:03:41.320 --> 00:03:45.590 EVAN: The tread on that machine looks a little different than the one I seen at the gym. 00:03:45.591 --> 00:03:49.593 HEATHER: That's right. This one has stainless steel slats on the belt. 00:03:49.595 --> 00:03:53.298 They did used to have plastic, but when it went up 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:56.200 to space with all the astronauts pounding on it 00:03:56.201 --> 00:03:59.070 every time they ran, the slats, the plastic, little 00:03:59.071 --> 00:04:02.373 pieces of it would break off and float around in space and 00:04:02.375 --> 00:04:05.976 that's really dangerous because it can get in the astronauts eyes. 00:04:05.978 --> 00:04:08.313 EVAN: So that's a newer and improved version. 00:04:08.381 --> 00:04:10.748 HEATHER: Yes, we try to do that a lot , we capture 00:04:10.816 --> 00:04:13.818 mistakes that happen or damage and we try to make 00:04:13.886 --> 00:04:19.991 sure that doesn't happen in the future by redesigning old parts or designing new parts. 00:04:21.026 --> 00:04:23.761 EVAN: It looks like you're doing another exercise on that machine. 00:04:23.763 --> 00:04:27.431 HEATHER: That's right, right now Dr. Lindgren is doing bicep curls. 00:04:27.433 --> 00:04:30.835 ARED also has a cable or an exercise rope that comes out 00:04:30.836 --> 00:04:34.138 of the platform and he can pull on that rope 00:04:34.140 --> 00:04:36.841 and do several different exercises. 00:04:36.843 --> 00:04:40.445 EVAN: NASA is currently preparing for missions back to the Moon and Mars. 00:04:40.446 --> 00:04:42.780 The lucky astronauts that get to participate in these 00:04:42.781 --> 00:04:45.150 missions will have to exercise in order to stay 00:04:45.151 --> 00:04:48.086 healthy during these long missions. Who will those astronauts be? 00:04:48.088 --> 00:04:51.088 Who knows, it could be you! 00:04:51.090 --> 00:04:55.433 ? [music] ? 00:05:00.828 --> 00:05:04.156 KIDS: Our World!