The experiment will be carried out by Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski during the upcoming Ax-4 mission, scheduled for launch no earlier than May.
Although space itself is silent due to its vacuum, the interior of the ISS is far from quiet. Life-support systems, fans, air pumps and other essential equipment produce a constant noise level of around 72 decibels, roughly equivalent to a vacuum cleaner, but running 24 hours a day.
'Wireless Acoustics'
The Polish experiment, named Wireless Acoustics, is one of 13 research and technology projects being conducted under the Ignis mission, Poland’s first comprehensive scientific initiative aboard the ISS.
Its goal is to improve understanding of the sound environment on the station and explore how astronauts are affected by long-term noise exposure.
The system to be tested was developed by Warsaw-based company Svantek, which specialises in technology to measure sound and vibration.
According to company representative Karol Sazonow, the experiment involves two testing phases.
In the first phase, three newly developed wireless instruments will be evaluated.
The first is a personal acoustic dosimeter that will be worn by the astronaut to measure real-time noise exposure near the ear over a full 24-hour cycle. This data will help determine how time spent in quieter or noisier areas of the station influences overall exposure, potentially allowing for better crew scheduling to reduce health risks.
The second device is a stationary sound level meter, which will be installed in the ISS’s European Columbus module. It is designed to identify specific noise sources and assess their impact on the health of astronauts.
The third instrument is an acoustic calibrator, which compensates for changing environmental conditions on the station—such as variations in temperature, humidity, or pressure—that could otherwise affect the accuracy of acoustic measurements.
In the second testing phase, the astronaut will use a dual-channel noise dosimeter that has already been in service on the ISS for more than a decade.
This will allow for comparisons between the new devices and those currently in use. A dosimeter measures the cumulative noise exposure of a person over a period of time, such as a work day or, in this case, a 24-hour period.
Each test will conclude with a questionnaire to gather the astronaut’s feedback on the usability and performance of the devices.
Once the measurements are completed, the data will be analysed by acoustic specialists and medical acoustics experts. The instruments will then be returned to Earth for a detailed examination to determine whether the space environment had any effect on their precision.
In another key experiment during the upcoming Ignis mission, Polish scientists plan to study how the human mind copes with extreme space conditions.
The experiment, called "Astro Mental Health," will compare mental health data collected in space with findings from Earth-based simulations, helping researchers better understand how prolonged isolation and harsh conditions affect the human brain.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk earlier this year reaffirmed the country's space ambitions during a meeting with international astronauts in Warsaw.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, polskieradio.pl