MOSCOW. Jan 10 (Interfax-AVN) - The Institute for Medical and Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences has suggested converting the science energy module of the International Space Station (ISS) into a medical unit and gym.
"It is now being discussed what the module will contain. We suggest setting up a medical module there with all the necessary equipment. If it is not going to be a medical module, then at least it will have a gym with a treadmill, a Russian-made press machine which we used for the Mars-500 project, and systems for monitoring the state of crewmembers during training," director of the institute Igor Ushakov said to Interfax-AVN.
He said that in general the institute's proposals are supported by the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Energia rocket and space corporation that recently won the contract for making the science energy module by 2016-2017.
"There is understanding with our colleagues and the leadership of Roscomos and Energia and we hope that the most optimal solution will be found and that by 2016-2017 we will get serious changes at ISS as far as medical equipment is concerned," Ushakov said.
"If the idea of a medical module is implemented, it would be a good step forward because the science and energy module is a prototype of a module for an interplanetary mission and the most important things there will be medicine and life-support systems," he said.
If the attempt to convert that science and energy module into a medical section and gym fails, then elements of the medical module can be introduced in the multifunctional laboratory module that is now being reequipped at Energia, he added.
The launch of the multifunctional laboratory module is scheduled for the end of 2013.