Because previous Apollo astronauts
had suffered from motion sickness, the Apollo 10 astronauts performed a
series of exercises early in their mission in an effort to prevent the
symptoms. Nodding, rocking, and head twisting were to be performed to the
point just prior to illness until the astronauts became adapted to their
environment. The astronauts also had flown aerobatic jet flights in barrel
rolls and high-gravity maneuvers during the weeks before the launch.
The special exercises consisted
of moving the head on a one-two count in three ways:
-
nodding the head up and down;
-
rocking it from side to side, touching
the ear to the shoulder;
-
twisting it from side to side touching
the chin to the shoulder
Each astronaut was to perform about
1500 of these movements, a few minutes at a time, as early in the mission
as possible.
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