The Last Ride

SpaceBike on a parabolic flight one last time – research in microgravity

How does the human nervous system react when gravity suddenly disappears? Dr Constance Badalì and Prof. Dr Dr Stefan Schneider from the Institute of Movement and Neuroscience have once again carried out the SpaceBike experiment as part of a parabolic flight campaign organised by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).

What seems self-evident on Earth poses particular challenges for the human body under conditions of weightlessness: movements such as walking or cycling must be adapted to the changed environmental conditions. The SpaceBike experiment at the German Sport University Cologne investigates how the brain and the neuromuscular system react to the absence of gravity.

To this end, SpoHo scientists Constance Badalì and Prof. Dr Dr Stefan Schneider took part in ESA’s 90th parabolic flight campaign. During the flight manoeuvres, brief periods of weightlessness occur, during which the effects of altered gravitational conditions on human motor control can be studied.

“Even after several campaigns, a parabolic flight is always something special. Within a very short space of time, we experience a succession of weightlessness, normal gravity and increased acceleration. For us as a research team, this presents an enormous challenge: our measurements must function reliably under exceptional conditions. At the same time, it is fascinating to be able to investigate scientific questions directly in an environment that we cannot replicate on Earth,” reports Constance Badalì.

What happens in the brain when gravity is absent?

The experiment centres on the question of how the central nervous system controls movement under altered gravitational conditions. To this end, the participants ride a stationary exercise bike. At the same time, the activity of the motor cortex in the brain is recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), and the electrical activity of the muscles involved is recorded using electromyography (EMG). By analysing the data, the researchers can investigate whether and how the neural control of the muscles changes in weightlessness – and whether humans are able to compensate for any changes that occur.

“Parabolic flights offer us a unique opportunity to directly study the effects of varying gravitational conditions on the human body. What we can observe here during a few seconds of weightlessness helps us to better understand the adaptive processes of the brain and muscles. This is not only relevant for future long-term missions in space, but also provides important insights for movement and health research on Earth,” explains Stefan Schneider.

Insights for space travel and rehabilitation

The research questions extend far beyond space travel. A better understanding of neuromuscular adaptation processes is relevant not only for longer stays in space and the future exploration of the Moon and Mars. The findings may also be significant for neurological rehabilitation, for example following a stroke. This is because, even after prolonged periods of immobilisation, the nervous system must reorganise movement patterns under altered conditions.

With the SpaceBike, the German Sport University Cologne is thus combining basic research in movement and neuroscience with questions relating to human spaceflight and health research.

SpaceBike video: SpoHo scientist Dr Oliver J. Quittmann took part in the parabolic flight as a test subject on 5 November 2026. Here, he describes his experience of the experiment.