Paid NASA Studies

The SPACE FLIGHT SIMULATIONS can be just a few weeks or a month, depending on different factors. Subjects undergo "baseline" testing, then days of bed rest with the head tilted -6 degrees. At the end of this "micro-gravity" period there are further days of balance & muscle rehabilitation.

Everyone is invited to apply! Ideal candidates for screening are 25-55 year old non-smokers who are not taking any regular medications.

For more precise details or questions, anyone can call the Johnson Space Center hotline in Houston at 1-866-JSC-TEST (1-866-572-8378).

Queries From Our Blog Readers Answered in Depth!

How do you qualify for the NASA Study program?
Screening includes an Air Force Physical, blood tests, bone density scans, psychological tests, etc. No one directly says "here is why you were chosen." We also don't know why anyone is ruled out, as you only get a briefing on your own medical status... but in conversations amongst ourselves, we found things in common that probably aren't coincidence. All participants exercise regularly and as a result, have low blood pressure. No one has allergies or is on regular medication, which means no chronic diseases. Only a few had minor surgeries or broken bones in the past.

What are the physical effects of the studies?
Subjects experience the same "side effects" that astronauts do, during and after space flight: muscle atrophy, loss of bone mass and changes in equilibrium. The body takes time afterward to return to normal functioning.

Can I leave the study once I am there?
Studies are voluntary. Anyone can leave at any time, but of course payment stops when participation does. You can leave the NASA floor in supervised increments of 30 minutes, and also go outdoors as long as you avoid direct sunlight (which would cause the body to create extra vitamin D). During bed rest, monitors wheel your bed around the facility or outdoors twice per week.

So, no extra Vitamin D... any other restrictions?
Yes, but we are such adaptable creatures, and it's stunning how quickly you stop "missing" things when you are focused elsewhere. There should be no Vitamin E or A from lotions or lip-balms, so most ladies don't bother with cosmetics. Any toothpastes and shampoos are fine since they are rinsed off, but you won't need other hair products. Overall there are no herbals, no sleep aids and no painkillers -- except Tylenol upon request. Deviation from ingestion/absorption rules can taint results. The highest aim is: CLEAN DATA.

Do we have contact with other study subjects?
You have contact with staff and subjects every day. Sometimes whole groups take walks together, or watch movies (we have a free Netflix account!) and play video games. We have an Activities Coordinator who shops for us and handles mail. You may bring your own laptop or one will be provided free of charge.

Can we have visitors in the study ward?
Friends and family are welcome to visit during daytime hours, under certain conditions. No one may bring pets or food inside the facility (yes, folks have tried both!), and no one can be sick, because our immune systems decline over the duration of the program.

What is the food like?
We get a lot of questions about Tang and paste tubes, but menus have come a long way! Astronauts take fresh food and microwaveables into space. Our STUDY MENUS are even better, and calculated to be appropriate for each person's caloric needs. Restrictions include no coffee, no tea, no soda, no alcohol, no salt, few condiments and very little sugar.

How is bathing accomplished?
Each room has a bathroom with a shower and half-tub, and we bathe whenever we please while scientists are conducting baseline tests. I showered each morning, and again upon return from cycling tests. Once we go to bed rest, we simply shower lying down. We are transferred to a gurney at the same -6 degree tilt as our beds, and are wheeled into a tiled room with shower fixtures. It's easy to stay clean, it just takes practice maneuvering so you don't get water up your nose!

Are there any guarantees that there is no danger of bodily harm?
Nope, no guarantees. You sign papers saying you understand these studies carry "Reasonable Risk," and we are given complete descriptions of every test's possible side effect(s). Meds are given in such tiny amounts that side effects are rare. The worst I've had is headaches from the meds that widen blood vessels, and among the group, some other subjects have described mild nausea. Fingers crossed that it never gets any worse than that! If we have any problems as a result of the experience or the testing, they are committed to treating us and covering all medical care.

Can you take naps?
Not during the day. We are awakened at 6am and go to bed at 10pm. In the mornings, we get the same "astronaut wake-up call" that the folks in space (since the Gemini era) get: music piped through speakers near our beds. The staff usually picks songs, though we can make requests. If you fall asleep during active hours, nurses will shake your shoulder and try to help you feel more alert by playing a game, moving you to a common room to spend time with others, etc. Sometimes it's difficult to stay in bed all the time and not feel like you want to doze off! So it's best to bring plenty to keep you busy -- books, movies, games, etc.

Is it hard to eat while lying down?
Eating can be a challenge at first, because you're swallowing "upward." It's best to pull your plate closer while you get used to the tilt. To avoid choking, we're told to prop up slightly on one elbow, but even then, drinking out of a glass is a trick. Straws become a big part of life. Swallowing has a different feel, and breathing takes more effort, but there has been no pain or discomfort.

How are you using the bathroom?
We do everything lying down. Yes, everything. It really isn't that difficult, and you get used to bedpans quite swiftly. After a couple days, it's the same few meaningless minutes out of your day that it was before.

Are you allowed to take medicine if you get a cold?
The goal is to prevent sickness at all costs. No personnel may enter the facility without specific badge clearance. Any staff with a fever MUST stay home. We cannot routinely take medicines, but if it does not interfere with scheduled blood testing, we may request nasal spray or Tylenol. If any subject developed symptoms that required antibiotics, you would be treated and then released from the study. So far, we've never had flu outbreaks, though we have had a few small things like a muscle tear, ingrown toenail, and a person fell once. Those were treated and the people completed their studies.

What kind of privacy do you have?
Women on one side of the unit, men on the other. We are in a large square, with the nurses' station and common rooms in the middle, so males and females must be rolled around a few turns to visit one another. You may have a roommate of the same gender if the ward is full, but that hasn't been the norm. Cameras operate 24x7 except in the shower and when we use the bathroom, when we have both curtains and closed doors.

Can you bring a favorite blanket or pillow? Other stuff from home?
Blankets yes, pillows no. Skinny standard-issue pillows only. Lots of folks put photos on the walls and bring knick-knacks, just keeping in mind you can only bring so much luggage, due to limited storage space. We each have a closet of shelves, a 3-drawer dresser, and bedside tables for laptops and meal trays. We're told to bring 7 days worth of comfortable clothing; most people just bring sweats, T-shirts and shorts for the testing exercises. They wash our laundry weekly.

How much can you move? Can you exercise?
Twice daily, we do 30-minute muscle stretching routines (neck, back, legs, arms, etc.) to prevent blood clots. We also get a massage every other day -- always a welcome diversion! It's nowhere near the activity we are used to, but the idea is to simulate weightlessness, and mimic what astronauts face. The goal is to see what happens to bones and muscles in micro-gravity when they are not utilized, deconditioning the body.

Do you gain weight lying down all that time?
No weight is gained, though body composition does change, just like in space. Caloric intake is based on the Harris-Benedict equation, which considers height, weight, age & activity factors. By losing muscle mass but staying at the same "kilogram count," we replace the loss with body fat over time, but not a huge amount and not with any wild fluctuations.

If you work upward on a laptop or holding books, aren't you moving your arms too much?
We're encouraged to use our upper bodies; its the legs that float freely. Astronauts type, write, hold books, etc. In micro-gravity, there is less weight to push or pull, but they do come up against resistance. On spacewalks, they may also do precision tasks requiring pressure. In a typical workday, crew members spend 12 hours working, 2 hours exercising, 1.5 hours on meals, and 8.5 hours sleeping. So, they actually do more than we can from bed. They also have bikes, a rower, and a treadmill. For our protocols in mimicry, it's important to use the arms; we're told simply to keep the head and shoulders down.

Special thanks to Devin Juel and Chris Fuhs for their assistance in creating our FAQ section! :) Thanks guys! - Heather Archuletta

February 4, 2010 : Smart Planet - Inside NASA's Studies

December 7, 2009 : Christian Science Monitor - Is This The Best Job Ever?

June 17, 2009 : WIRED Science - Do You Have The Right Stuff to be a NASA Pillownaut?

August 1, 2008 : FOX New York - Don't Let The Bedbugs Bite

July 30, 2008 : Fox News Houston - We'll Pay You To Stay In Bed

May 9, 2008 : WIRED Science - NASA Scientist Answers Your Questions

May 7, 2008 : WIRED Science - NASA Offers $5,000 A Month To Lie In Bed

August 2, 2006: Nasa.Gov - One Man's Rest Is Another Man's Research