Estimation of Physical Performance Level of Man in Long Space Flight Based on Regular Training Data

In this paper, we consider the problem of estimation of physical performance level of cosmonauts in long-term space flight, given the data collected during regular locomotor training exercises. The physical performance level of a cosmonaut is measured in terms of “physiological cost” of work, which is calculated as a function of heart rate, running speed and axial load. An algorithm for estimation of the physical performance level, using the data on the regular training on a treadmill is proposed. The algorithm is based on the principles of linear extrapolation and bisection search. The proposed algorithm is tested on the real data measured in the regular training of Russian cosmonauts on board of the International Space Station and compared to a more simple approach and the standard onboard test of physical performance level. The experimental results suggest that the proposed algorithm may be useful for the estimation of the physical performance level of cosmonauts in long-term space flights.