NASA to study human health and performance during Crew-13 mission

Phys · Sep 24, 2026 · 646 words · By Monica Edwards

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about NASA to study human health and performance during Crew-13 mission

NASA is conducting several biomedical and human performance studies during the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station. These investigations focus on blood clotting, manual piloting skills, the effects of B-vitamins on vision, and the impact of exercise routines to support future deep-space missions.

Propaganda risk 0%

Claims checked 14

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

NASA to study human health and performance during Crew-13 mission Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Robert Egan Senior Editor During NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission aboard the International Space Station, astronauts will support a series of biomedical and human…

Why it matters

NASA also is testing crew members' manual piloting skills, evaluating methods to counter vision and brain changes, gathering essential health data to inform future missions, and measuring forces astronauts experience during their return to Earth to help…

Common ground

Among upcoming research, a new collaboration with ESA (European Space Agency), called Venous Haemostasis, builds on previous studies of blood flow in space by combining the two space agencies' research efforts.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: NASA to study human health and performance during Crew-13 mission?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that A performance study called Manual Piloting uses lunar-landing simulations to test how well astronauts can handle challenging landings after spending extended time in microgravity?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-09-nasa-human-health-crew-mission.html

analyticsAnalysis

Propaganda Score

confidence: 100%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

schedule Pending 4

info Single Source 3

check_circle

Claim 1: “A performance study called Manual Piloting uses lunar-landing simulations to test how well astronauts can handle challenging landings after spending extended time in microgravity”

CORROBORATED

Web results confirm the 'Manual Piloting' study uses lunar-landing simulations to evaluate sensory and motor control after long-duration spaceflight.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — An aircraft flight manual (AFM) is a paper book or electronic information set containing information required to operate an aircraft of certain type or particular aircraft of that type (each AFM is ta…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_flight_manual

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Chapman Piloting & Seamanship, published by Hearst Books, has been a leading reference book for power and sail boaters for nearly 100 years. Known as "the Bible of Boating", more than 3 million copies…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapman_Piloting

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Scaled Composites Model 437 Vanguard is a stealth demonstration aircraft built by Scaled Composites and Northrop Grumman. Based on the Scaled Composites 401 the model 437 includes manual piloting …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaled_Composites_437

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 2: “a new collaborative effort to study how spaceflight affects blood flow and clotting”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources explicitly mention tracking changes in blood flow and blood composition as part of the Crew-13 medical checkups.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — NASA traces its roots to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Although Dayton, Ohio, is considered the birthplace of aviation, by 1914 the United States recognized that it lagged si…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 30, 2026 · NASA.gov brings you the latest news, images and videos from America's space agency, pioneering the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.
https://www.nasa.gov/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 29, 2026 · NASA Sets Coverage for SpaceX 35th Station Resupply Launch, Arrival article3 days ago 5 min read NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Sees Menagerie of Brown Dwarfs article2 days ago 3 min read Wha…
https://www.nasa.gov/?m=0

info

Claim 3: “a new collaboration with ESA (European Space Agency), called Venous Haemostasis, builds on previous studies of blood flow in space”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the general collaboration between NASA and ESA on the ISS is verified by Wikipedia, the specific 'Venous Haemostasis' study name is not corroborated across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The idea of sending humans to Mars has been the subject of aerospace engineering and scientific studies since the late 1940s as part of the broader exploration of Mars. Long-term proposals have includ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_mission_to_Mars

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station in low Earth orbit (LEO). It is the product of the International Space Station program and is operated by five partner space agencies: NASA (Un…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The International Space Station is a platform for scientific research that requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit (for example microgravity, (cosmic) -radiation and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_research_on_the_Int…

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 4: “Select Crew-13 astronauts also will participate in three additional Human Research Program studies: Standard Measures, Spacecraft Occupant Risk and Zero T2”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 5: “Spacecraft Occupant Risk characterizes the forces astronauts experience during landing”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 6: “During NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission aboard the International Space Station, astronauts will support a series of biomedical and human performance investigations”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the SpaceX Crew-13 mission exists and involves human health and performance objectives, including piloting skills and vision research.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — SpaceX Crew-11 was the eleventh operational NASA Commercial Crew Program flight and the 19th crewed orbital flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission transported four crew members, NASA astronau…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Crew-11

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — SpaceX Crew-12 was the twelfth operational NASA Commercial Crew Program flight and the 20th crewed orbital flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission transported four crew members—NASA astronauts…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Crew-12

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — SpaceX Crew-13 is the thirteenth operational NASA Commercial Crew Program flight and the 21st crewed orbital flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission launched October 1, 2026 at 11:10:06 am to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Crew-13

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 7: “measuring forces astronauts experience during their return to Earth to help refine re-entry hardware and procedures”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the mission is confirmed, the provided evidence does not specifically mention measuring re-entry forces to refine hardware.

travel_explore

schedule

Claim 8: “Zero T2 tracks the exercise routines of select crew members to compare health and performance data between astronauts who use the treadmill for aerobic exercise aboard the station and those who do not”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 9: “NASA also is testing crew members' manual piloting skills”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources confirm that NASA is testing manual piloting skills using lunar-landing simulations during the Crew-13 mission.

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 10: “Standard Measures collects consistent physiological and behavioral data from as many crew members as possible to establish baselines”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 11: “Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), a condition that can change astronauts' eye structure during long-duration missions”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence mentions 'vision problems associated with long spaceflights' but does not explicitly define SANS or its effect on eye structure in the search results provided.

check_circle

Claim 12: “astronauts will undergo MRI scans, jugular vein ultrasounds, blood pressure checks and blood draws”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources explicitly list the same set of tests: MRI scans, jugular vein ultrasounds, blood pressure checks, and blood draws.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Before, during and after flight, astronauts will undergo MRI scans, jugular vein ultrasounds, blood pressure checks and blood draws so researchers can track changes in blood flow and blood composition…
https://phys.org/news/2026-09-nasa-human-health-crew-mission…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In fact, before, during and after the mission, the Crew-13ers will go through a series of medical checkups and tests: MRI scans, jugular vein ultrasounds, blood pressure checks, and blood being drawn.
https://www.ufofeed.com/302601/former-debary-resident-among-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — This mechanical obstruction prevents venous blood from flowing out of the brain, leading to serious complications. Eagle Syndrome CT scan: Jugular vein narrowing due to compression between the styloid…
https://kamranaghayev.com/jugular-vein-compression/

check_circle

Claim 13: “evaluating methods to counter vision and brain changes”

CORROBORATED

Web results confirm the crew will participate in research on eye changes and that NASA is testing B vitamins to prevent vision problems associated with long spaceflights.

travel_explore

check_circle

Claim 14: “Researchers also will continue the B-Complex study, which investigates whether a daily B-vitamin supplement can reduce or prevent Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS)”

CORROBORATED

Web results confirm NASA is testing whether daily B vitamins can help prevent vision problems associated with long spaceflights, which aligns with the B-Complex study description.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.