An inflatable sleeping device for a commercial station
A sleeping bag solution for the Axiom space station: a deployable bed that holds a body still, wraps it gently, and keeps the air around the face clear.
The problem
A factor that greatly affects the health of astronauts who inhabit any space station is the quality of sleep. Through the years of the space missions, the sleep of astronauts has been monitored, reporting sleep deficits, in particular of the REM phase, due to various factors.
The adaptation of astronauts to weightlessness in particular affects the quality of their sleep, together with the alternation of sunrises and sunsets that occur with high frequency in orbit, shifting the regular circadian rhythm.
With a view to future exploration and space tourism, it is therefore essential to plan sleep areas that promote the wellbeing of their users and occupy acceptable volumes, considering that every cubic millimetre in space is precious.
Requirements
- 01The device must ensure rest and comfort for the user.
- 02Given the absence of gravity, the device can be positioned vertically.
- 03The device must contain the astronaut as much as possible, so that they do not float during sleep and hit other surfaces.
- 04The device must occupy the least possible volume: an inflatable or deployable solution is recommended.
- 05The device must ensure correct recirculation of air around the user’s mouth. During sleep it is common for carbon dioxide produced by breathing to accumulate, which must be cleared through good ventilation, so the areas near the mouth must remain free.
- 06The device must comfortably embrace the user: research has shown that in space there is no longer the sensation one feels on Earth of being gently wrapped in our bed.
- 07The device must have a design in line with the design of the space station, being made for paying users who will expect a highly functional and pleasantly aesthetic instrument.
The solution
The solution is an inflatable device made up of different sectors. The mattress material is breathable and light, and allows the mattress to remain inflated without air leaks while staying comfortable against the skin.
The mattress has lateral containment walls that enclose the user inside and act as a hook for the upper cover, which is also inflatable. The upper cover is made up of inflatable cylindrical sectors, covered in a comfortable material such as suede, which swell slightly to compress the upper part of the user’s body.
The inflation pressure must be such that the sectors inflate differently according to the area they cover, wrapping the person lying down without exerting pressure. A similar inflation system is used in hospital mattresses to avoid the formation of sores in patients who have to stay in bed for long periods.
The inflation system must be positioned far from the mattress, so that the noise of the compressor does not disturb the person during sleep, which means an adequate system of pipes and connections has to be worked out.
Why it matters
Sleep is where a body recovers from everything else a mission asks of it. A bed that holds a crew member still, applies gentle pressure across the torso and keeps the air around the face moving addresses three of the reasons sleep fails in orbit at once.
The same line of work continued in Space Hug, the deep pressure garment flown on a parabolic flight, and in the partial gravity study that followed it.