MISSION BEYOND: THE ACOUSTIC DIAGNOSTICS EXPERIMENT ON BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

Acoustic Diagnostics is an Italian Space Agency (ASI) biomedical experiment exploiting the diagnostic potential of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) to monitor the astronauts' hearing health on board the International Space Station (ISS). It will be executed on the ISS (July 2019-February 2020), during the BEYOND mission sponsored by European Space Agency (ESA). Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano and American astronaut Andrew Morgan have been subjected to Baseline Data collections before leaving for their mission, using a dedicated scientific instrument developed by University of Rome Tor Vergata, INAIL, Campus Bio-Medico, and University of Roma La Sapienza (as science team), collaborating with Aerospace Logistics Technology Engineering Company (ALTEC) for the payload development, test, verification and acceptance. These data are then compared with the equivalent measurements performed on the ISS, every month (or two months, dependent on crew time availability) during the BEYOND mission. Finally, measurements are performed also post-flight, few days after astronaut return on Earth. ASI, in the frame of its national mission of promoting and fostering the culture of space across the Country, provides access to the ISS as a laboratory in space. The utilization support services are provided thanks to a contract, awarded by ASI, to ARGOTEC/Telespazio (UTISS Team).