The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 returned to Earth after successfully monitoring the body composition of astronauts in space. The smartwatch was involved in SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission, which took four astronauts on a SpaceX spacecraft that orbited the Earth more than six times from Sept. 10 to 15.
The research was led by the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, which has been working in partnership with Samsung Electronics to understand the effects of microgravity, a condition where gravity is weak so that people or objects appear to be weightless, on human health. Understanding health information is crucial for prolonged stays in the microgravity environment of space. The Apple Watch was also used in a spacecraft mission orbiting Earth in 2021.
The astronauts wore the Galaxy Watch 5, equipped with advanced sensors, during the mission. The smartwatch’s body composition monitoring feature analyzes a wide range of information, including skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, body water content, and body fat percentage.
Using the data collected by the Galaxy Watch 5, researchers aim to find methods to prevent muscle loss, a common challenge astronauts face during long-duration spaceflights. “Conventional body composition monitoring equipment is large and heavy, making it difficult to transport and use in space,” said a Samsung Electronics representative.
