NASA's Shoebox-Sized Gym Keeps Artemis II Crew Healthy

Four astronauts traveled nearly 700,000 miles around the Moon last year, and a device the size of a large shoebox kept them mission-ready the entire journey.

The Artemis II crew exercised roughly 30 minutes each day using NASA's flywheel, a multi-functional workout device that requires no electrical power from the spacecraft. Ryan Schulte, the Orion flywheel project manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, led the team that designed, built, and tested the compact gym that made the historic mission safer and healthier.

"What we're doing with this exercise device has a direct impact on the crew's safety, health, and their mission success," Schulte said. He oversees development of a fleet of reusable exercise devices for future Artemis missions.

The flywheel works like an "inertial yo-yo" where astronauts select different gear ratios for various resistance levels. The device delivers up to 500 pounds of resistance based on how much effort the user provides, allowing crew members to perform squats, deadlifts, rows, curls, heel raises, and aerobic rowing in one compact package.

Creating a full-body gym that fits inside a capsule posed serious engineering challenges. The team had to reduce noise for easy communication during workouts while ensuring astronauts could fully stand and extend their bodies at high speeds inside the cramped Orion spacecraft.

Their hard work paid off when the Artemis II crew successfully used the device throughout their approximately 10-day mission. Daily exercise sessions counteracted the physical effects of microgravity, where muscles, bones, and stamina begin to weaken without Earth's gravity pulling on the body.

Why This Inspires

The flywheel protects more than just astronaut muscles. Exercise provides crucial mental health benefits for people living in the compact Orion spacecraft, offering stress relief and improved mental clarity.

"It improves their mental clarity by getting their fluids and their blood flowing, which can stagnate in your head in zero gravity," Schulte explained. Crew members reported feeling noticeably clearer-minded after their workout sessions in flight.

Schulte started as a co-op at Johnson Space Center in 2007 and worked his way up through various engineering roles before finding his passion at the intersection of human health and engineering. His journey from test engineer to flywheel project manager shows how dedication and curiosity can lead to meaningful work.

As NASA prepares for longer lunar missions, the flywheel becomes even more critical for astronaut health and safety during extended spacewalks on the Moon's surface. The success of this compact device on Artemis II proves that smart engineering can solve seemingly impossible challenges in the harshest environments.

"I feel incredibly lucky to be doing what I get to do," Schulte said, describing his work as an honor and privilege to serve his country in space exploration.